Gordon Thorpe - should we feel sorry?

Gordon Thorpe cut a very fine figure at the Annual Town Meeting in his formal robes. He and his team raised £8500 for his nominated charities. He went to many different functions representing the Town. He even got the Town Council to spend money on regalia and his robes. Gordon had his picture in the paper opening something almost every week.

But should I and the rest of the residents feel sorry for Gordon. I don't.


Gordon was re-elected in 2007 to the District Council with a 12 vote majority.

Indeed at the Town Elections on the same day he received 719 votes.

Fast forward to 2011 and Gordon is up for election again. At his re-election he gets 464 votes whilst Julia gets 553.

Even at Town Council Gordon lags behind with 586votes against Julia's 674 votes.

So why did Gordon do so badly? Because he was too interested in being Town Mayor he totally forgot he was there for two reasons. Firstly he had to be elected. Secondly the Liberal Democrats had to have a majority.

According to one source Gordon only became interested in the Town Council elections roughly a week before the elections were held. Far too late to change things.

Gordon seemed far more interested in being Town Mayor and raising money for charity. Gordon must have thought his high profile in the papers were doing the job. But they weren't. Local politicians need to have a base on which to stand. The Liberal Democrats needed to make their base in Eaton Socon and they didn't.

It is obvious that Gordon didn't do the work needed to get re-elected. He was too involved in being Town Mayor instead of looking after Eaton Socon which he needed to win. Gordon's downfall was because he didn't put the work into his ward that was needed. Should we feel sorry? I don't feel any residents should feel sorry that Gordon wasn't re-elected. Gordon should have done the basics before enjoying the treats.