Lynne Featherstone

All the party groups head into City Hall for their own group meetings and then the ‘negotiations’. The arithmetic has delivered the unsurprising fact that only the LibDems and the Tories combined have a majority and all the ‘positions’ on the Assembly are decided by simple majority. The further arithmetic conunundrum for the Mayor is that he needs 9 votes in support of his budget to get it through. There are only 7 Labour members in their now reduced state – so undoubtedly they will be trying to buy the Greens’ two votes.

We have our group meeting, set our objectives, elect our leader – all say what we want out of the next term, etc.

Then, of course, both Labour and Tories want to come and talk to us and be our best friend. I am on the negotiating team with Graham Tope so for the first time witness how it goes. Jolly interesting. We are at the listening to what the others offer us stage at the moment – and as I write that remains the case.