As usual, the Wimbledon Guardian outshone all its so-called local rivals with its blanket coverage of the Merton Council elections, that once again included exclusive online interviews, analysis (that turned out to be spot-on) and a constantly updated online results service on election night (which is why we were able to accurately predict the result at 2.30am).

So congratulations to Nick Hitchens and his political staff (I say this so often I should really do this as a format letter. My typing finger is now cream-crackered).

Obviously Stephen Alambritis and Andrew Judge ran an absolute blinder of a campaign and Merton is now a safe Labour stronghold. Finally. What an achievement.

And once again Siobhain McDonagh demonstrated exactly why she is the finest MP in Great Britain, and exactly how she became the Labour MP of a previously safe Tory borough.

She is a lady who has put humanity back into politics. And hopefully in 2015 she will be able to put the police back into Merton. They are missed.

Our victory would not have been possible without our superb management organiser, Lisa Whitehead.

When not running our office, Lisa, a 22 year-old university graduate, is also a corporal in the territorial army (who recently passed her officer exams with flying colours). All heroes every one.

Indeed there isn't room here to thank everybody for their tremendous help. But they will all be thanked. And there is one special person who deserves credit. Indeed she is a lady who deserves more credit for this victory than any other person. Our campaign organiser.

Siobhain has a sister. Her name is Margaret and in 1997 she ran the Labour Party's monumentally successful 'Key Seats Unit'. Most people believe that Tony Blair won the 1997 general election. No, he didn't (although he did dress neatly).

Margaret ran his campaign and she never received the media credit that she deserved (Alastair Campbell talks about her brilliant achievements at length in his famous, and famously well-written, diaries).

However, our victory in 1997 wasn't Margaret's greatest campaign achievement. Not even close.

At the 2001 general election she ran her most successful-ever political campaign. It was a work of art that qualifies for a place in the Tate.

For in that year Tony Blair's successful government became the first in British history to achieve a 40 per cent swing in a general election. Something never before achieved by anybody, I believe it never will be again.

In contrast, Mrs Thatcher was only ever able to achieve a 37 per cent swing at the height of her popularity.

It is not surprising, therefore, that Margaret McDonagh was elected General Secretary of the Labour Party in recognition of just how great she is. She is recognised still as our greatest ever organiser.

A very kind and wonderful lady who is the absolute inspiration for us all.

Michael Barltrop; Merton Labour

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