Hamilton '97, Smith '10?
This post
by Rouse Media got TB thinking. It was humiliating when Neil Hamilton was defeated by the independent anti-sleaze candidate Martin Bell in 1997. This could/would never have happened though, if Labour and the Lib-Dems hadn't decided not to contest the seat. While of course the likes of Hamilton got everything they deserved, New Labour have turned sleaze into a corporate entity. No longer is it sweaty, crumpled, twenties in brown envelopes, it's a full scale scam worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Since Jury Team the "organised independents" are so keen on sticking it to Jacqui Smith, maybe the Tories should move aside in Redditch and atone for 1997.Ladbrokes have
apparently
slashed their odds on an independent taking Smith's seat.
Posts
7 comments:
Naah no point. Hamilton would never have been beaten in a normal campaign. He had a 20k or so majority so needed a fancy media/spin driven campaign.
Smith is on 2k or so already so why waste a publicity campaign on her. She is already decapitated.
TB, this sort of comment from yourself is damging for the party and completely against rules for which you might hold membership of the party.
Let me tell you, the tory candidate in redditch has worked her ass off for a very long time and in my opinion has already won.
You seem to be advocating she stands down and let conservative voters not have the option of a conservative candidate.
I only read your blog every now and again but I am completely insensed with you asking the tory party candidate to stand down.
Maybe if you knew a little more you'd shut your mouth!
Yeah "Agent" they are really going to expel him for offering the odd pondering thought.
Theft from the taxpayer goes beyond party politics.
Well done for helping further the age old truth that all agents are compelete tossers.
Absolutely no need for anyone to be standing aside in Redditch - it was already a marginal before any scandal hit Jacqui Smith (her notional majority is already under 2000). The Conservatives should expect to take this seat if they are to return to power.
By contrast if Labour had taken Tatton in 1997 the Conservative party would have been literally wiped out.
Tory Bear,
Thanks for the suggestion!
Personally I'm very keen to run an Independent against Jacqui Smith at the next election.
Whilst I dislike the attitude of 'Agent' (no-one may speak a word against the Party for fear of expulsion, loyaly uber alles etc), I appreciate that splitting the anti-Smith vote would be a bad thing if it gave her a chance of keeping her seat.
We want to see the sleazy politicians thrown out of Parliament at the next election - I don't know the Conservative candidate, but I do want to see Jacqui Smith fall.
I agree Independents, running a Martin Bell style campaign, actually have more chance against 'safe MPs', as long as the other parties are prepared to withdraw.
The question I'd be interested in having answered by the Conservative Party is whether they would stand aside for Independent candidates in 'safe Labour seats', and the same question to the Labour Party for Conservatives who have been implicated in sleaze.
The less-than-honest politicians with five-figure majorities are bad for political accountability, and are bad for democratic choice - anyone who wants to draw up a bipartisan shortlist of who they think deserves to go, I'd be very interested.
Morus
Morus - You talk sense, especially in Scotland for General Elections where a Tory winner is kind of like Rocking Horse Poo.
I personally will stand as independent against Nasty Nigel Griffiths (Maj. 405) if he has the brass neck to stand himself.
I even think that it would improve the standing of the Conservatives to do it and come back in 4 years with a bit better form.
Somehow of course, I can't see Annabel Goldie going for it. Shame.
P.S. If you have an extra five bob would you mind following the following instructions:
TEXT
JOHWAL01
TO
86837
(Each text costs 25p plus your usual network rate.)
Thanks.
Tory Bear,
The premise of your post is mistaken.
Neil Hamilton has always claimed to be innocent of all allegations of dishonesty. After having investigated the affair for much of the last decade, I can state with confidence that the evidence proves overwhelmingly that he is indeed as innocent as he claims.
The true story of the Hamilton affair is not so much one of political corruption but rather media corruption, criminality and censorship - censorship which, in the case of broadcasters, is unlawful.
Ask Iain Dale.