So who is winning in Stroud Green?

trainspotter · May 2015

I am with *mirandola* on this one - correcting an error is one thing and it was clearly remiss of labour not to pull the leaflets after the hustings but you look a bit silly if you say that it's a "lie and a desperate smear" to say you supported a policy that your Government implemented.

NorthNineteen · May 2015

Decent turnout this morning already at The Laundry (Islington N).<br>

trainspotter · May 2015

Yes, I had to queue at the Hideaway too

Papa · May 2015

<span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">I'm not surprised they are annoyed.</span><div><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">There's a big difference between saying someone was a member of the government that implemented a dodgy decision and a minister in the very department that did it.</span><div style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;"><br></div><div style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">Collective responsibility or not, I'm sure that as adults we all recognise politicians will have differing views and not support everything their government or party does but can feel compelled not to speak against it.</div><div style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;"><br></div><div style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">That's quite different to saying was a minister in the Home Office when it did this.</div></div><div style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;"><br></div><div style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">Probably different enough to change how some people would vote.</div>

graeme · May 2015

The progesterex response from Lynne would have been funny to see, pure Yes Minister whataboutery.<div><br></div><div>Really difficult to decide tbh, one of the smaller parties will likely get my vote. Geoff Mosley's Hoi Polloi party website is entertaining at least. http://geoffmoseley.com/Hoi_Polloi/Never_was_so_much_owed_by_so_many.html</div><div>Jimmy Savile and Obama squirm under his pin of justice.</div>

Perflexed · May 2015

@trainspotter, @ Papa L<div><br></div><div>Yes, one should ask why Labour simply didn't make the weaker claim that Featherstone was part of a Government that supported this. Which was true.</div><div><br></div><div>But instead make a claim that Featherstone was more personally involved and by implication more responsible.</div><div>Which, as now even admitted by Labour, was false.</div><div><br></div><div>This isn't a heat of the moment thing, like mis-tweeting or making a gaff during a live broadcast. </div><div><br></div><div>Writing, researching, printing and distributing campaign <span style="font-size: 10pt;">material is a fairly considered process, where the accuracy of information could and should have been confirmed. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br></span></div><div>To concur with Papa L. Votes were at stake here.</div><div><br></div>

Ali · May 2015

<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font></p><p><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>I suspect it was not planned as why would you think it would not got found out to be wrong? It is probably a mistake and is down to not checking and reviewing the paper work correctly. Seems like the right thing has been done by sending out a correction.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font></p><p><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>It is bit like the progesterex incident in the house - facts not check correctly - I guess that is worse as it t will be in Hansard for ever !<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font></p><p><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>Or how about the Expenses Paper scandal detaled in the Wiki <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font> </p><p><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>"In April 2007, Featherstone was forced to return large quantities of <a title="Stationery" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stationery"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">stationery</span></a> after her office ordered £22,000 worth in the previous month in an attempt to beat new rules on stationery allowances. Featherstone blamed a staff member for the incident, stating she "knew nothing". In a leaked email, Parliamentary official <a title="Cliff Harris" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Harris"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Cliff Harris</span></a> reportedly stated "it's quite alarming when you see that Lynne Featherstone spent over £22,000 in one month, the equivalent to three years of the new capped rate".<sup> </sup>Featherstone subsequently said she would be putting in place better office procedures."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font></p><p><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>I am again able to accept was a mistake by the member of staff she blamed as I am sure it was not planned.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font></p><p><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>For balance in May 2009, Lynne was listed by <a title="The Daily Telegraph" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Telegraph"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Daily Telegraph</span></a> as one of the "Saints" in the <a title="Expenses scandal" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expenses_scandal"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">expenses scandal</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font></p>

graeme · May 2015

Perhaps the right thing to have done was to not engage in attacking other candidates, and instead make the issues about what your policies/pledges are? Then let voters decide if you'd be a capable MP for the next 5 years, rather than how bad the incumbent may or may not have been in the past. <div><br></div><div>Then party twonks wouldn't have to worry about making shite up, or fact checking. <div><br></div><div><div><br></div><div> <div><br></div><div> </div></div></div></div>

Perflexed · May 2015

<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Yes I agree, it may well have been a mistake on the part of Labour.</p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;"><br></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">But the posibility, even probability of detection is no impediment to wrong-doing, </p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">just look at the world around you. So there I disagree.</p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;"><br></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Featherstone's failure to properly research 'Progesterex' merely made her look foolish, with few casualties beyond bruised </p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">egos. But when one attempts to malign an opponent in an election, a common and resignedly accepted practice, and one</p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">which this was clearly aimed at doing (even if the information was correct, this was still undoubtably the intention); you would </p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">think a higher standard of research was required to make sure that your opponent was actually guilty of the content of your attack. </p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;"><br></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;"><br></p>

Ali · May 2015

<p>Milliband has done a really good job at standing up to the half truths and every thing else that has been thrown at him by the Conservatives and our so called quality press.</p><p>They are worried about Non Doms and eLverson being implemented. </p><p>What has happened here is being blown out of proportion coud it be a last gasp</p>

Perflexed · May 2015

@Ali<;div><br></div><div>I am not making a party political point here, Others here may be, and you certainly seem to be.</div><div><br></div><div>I am making a point about good argument and proper process. If the Lib-Dems, or any Party for that matter,</div><div>had been caught <span style="font-size: 10pt;">doing the same thing, I would be making exactly the same point. </span></div><div><br></div>

Ali · May 2015

Fair enough !

nick_m · May 2015

We moved from Hornsey to Islington North and I'm a bit unhappy about not being in my old constituency right now. I would definitely vote for Lynne as she was an excellent local MP plus supported some really important, and probably less reported, global development issues. Plus it feels like your vote would count.<div><br></div><div>But as it is I'm voting Green mostly to protest against the ridiculous electoral system we have (for what it's worth). I would support any party that wants to change it. There is a petition running about it here: tinyurl.com/qznkun2 </div>

NorthNineteen · May 2015

Exit poll has Hornsey and Wood Green as a LAB gain.

kreuzkav · May 2015

Congratulations to Catherine West on gaining a seat for Labour.<div><br></div><div> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000752<div><br></div><div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div>;

miss annie · May 2015

Reaction to massive Tory success is hilarious. It's as if people think it's all happened by magic rather than by people actually voting for them.

checkski · May 2015

It certainly was a nasty surprise for some of us, Miss Annie. The thought of another 5 years of Etonian rule doesn't bear thinking about. <div><br></div>

krappyrubsnif · May 2015

OK. Where to from here?

Mirandola · May 2015

<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">https://join.labour.org.uk?</span><br></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px; line-height: normal;"><br></span></font></div>

Mirandola · May 2015

<font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;">Or, I suppose:</span></font><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px; line-height: normal;">http://www.libdems.org.uk/joining</span></font><br></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px; line-height: normal;">or</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px; line-height: normal;">https://my.greenparty.org.uk/civicrm/membership/joining</span><br></font></div>;

maclondon · May 2015

Another way to look at it is the issue of progressive thinking being split across now 3 parties (4 if you include SNP). Unfortunately, at the moment the right seem not to have the same issue. Still, the Conservatives are going to see a very tough journey with a a smug right wing, EU bashing and ultimately SNP pressing them which may make them regret the Negative, Nationalistic streak in the latter bit of the campaign.

conformable_kate · May 2015

It would be ironic if one result of the election was a surge in Labour membership. I found myself earlier suddenly thinking I should join - sleep deprivation, yes, but still - and have since discovered that half a dozen friends seem to have done it already.

TheMimsy · May 2015

@ Kate Funny, I have felt exactly the same!

maclondon · May 2015

Strangely LibDem membership has also increased since Thursday (and The Greens too!).

NorthNineteen · May 2015

Did anyone see Catherine West on ITV news last night, quite a long interview with her and Lady Victoria something (new Con MP for Kensington)? She didn't exactly cover herself in glory!<br>

Ali · May 2015

<p>If you consider what has happened in the Council and the General Election the Libdems have really been hamered by the voters. I guess all the loosing parties must now be wondering what segments of the political spectrum they should go for now.</p><p>Will we see old fashioned LibDem redish politics and the Labour party becoming a bit more like red Tories ?</p>

Arkady · May 2015

@Ali - indeed. I'd argue (and always have done) for an electoral pact between the progressive parties in any constituency where one party has a clear lead against the Tories. I think this will be necessary until we have proportional representation. With boundary changes due to benefit the Tories by around 25 seats, and Labour struggling to face two ways against the Tories and SNP/UKIP, I don't see that they can expect to get a majority again - a significant one anyway. <div><br></div><div>In my darker moments I wonder whether Labour could cannibalise the Lib Dems, but I don't see how Labour can be liberal and centrist enough to do that and win back support in their heartlands.</div>

graeme · May 2015

@ali It was only when Labour were Red Tories that they managed 3 wins on the bounce. There was very little that wasn't tweaking around the edges to entice people to choose them this time round. Where were the big generation-defining policies the country needs to escape the clutches of the uber-rich? A mansion tax? That's the flagship? Having to have Tom Watson and Celeb Coogan on your battle bus to jizz up the electorate kind of points to a lack of interesting policies that differentiated the Labour Party. The desertion of the LibDems in the constituency could be seen as an attempt to keep the Tories at bay, rather than a positive choice for Labour. I wouldn't lump parties like UKIP and the Greens in with the generalisation of "losing parties" not knowing which segments of the voters to go for now. They have a target, and are getting voters. Labour and LibDems, yeah, they're the losers. They're offering very weak alternatives. There is no big thinking on show from those guys (from a voter's PoV)

krappyrubsnif · May 2015

@graeme "Where were the big generation-defining policies the country needs to escape the clutches of the uber-rich? A mansion tax?" Spot on. And the mansion tax idea was disaster.

kreuzkav · May 2015

Blair(war monger supreme) and Mandelson (prince of minister without working class values) have to be the worst thing to happen to Labour. I would prefer Ed Balls anyday. I want Labour to be a supporter of egalitarian values that occured in the 60s, 70s and into the 80s. The centre is all about middle class boys having soft jobs and lots of spending power and resenting miners, firefighters and other working class people with a powerful union. The elite have their old school tie, holiday homes but then resent the working class having the same. The sad thing is that working class people are service workers in Amazon warehouse or hospitality servicing the uber-rich.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Top Posters

So who is winning in Stroud Green?

Comments