Archived Topic
Topic ID 3092
21/09/2007 by Steve
Labour Announce New Candidate
I received the following press release today:
NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
HERTFORD & STORTFORD LABOUR PARTY CHOOSE GENERAL ELECTION CANDIDATE
Hertford and Stortford constituency Labour party has chosen its candidate to fight the next general election at a meeting held on Sunday 16 September.
Labour’s candidate will be Steve Terry, currently chair of Walthamstow Labour party and an official of the public services union, UNISON.
Following the selection meeting Mr. Terry said:
“I am honoured to have been chosen to represent Labour at the next general election, by local party members in Hertford and Stortford, and look forward to the challenge of beating the current Tory MP, Mark Prisk.
“Whenever the election is called I am sure it will result in a Labour victory, with Gordon Brown returned as Prime Minister. I want the people of Hertford and Stortford to have a direct voice within the next Labour government so that we can tackle the issues that matter to them such as schools, housing, transport and the NHS. Only I can do that as a Labour MP.”
Steve Terry went on to say:
“I intend to get out and about around the constituency talking to people about their concerns and issues. Unlike the current MP, who is more concerned with Cornwall than Hertford and Stortford, I intend to listen to the people.
“Labour is the only party that can beat the Tories at the next general election, and I will be appealing to supporters of other parties to lend me their support rather than wasting their vote.
“I also intend to hold Tory controlled East Herts council to account for their continuing failures on car parking and leisure services.”
How is The Chair of Walthamstow Labour Party qualified to represent the Constituency of Hertford and Stortford? Could they not find anyone with a more local background? This decision is hardly likely to encourage more people in the area to vote Labour. His lack of local credentials is reflected in his criticism of local MP Mark Prisk who, far from being "more interested in Cornwall than Hertford and Stoftford", is very active on local issues. If their new candidate and the local party want to be taken seriously, they need to show a little more credibility. Unfortunately, they seem to have decided to parachute in a Labour Yes-Man rather than mounting a serious challenge to the sitting MP in a constituency that they have little chance of winning.
IMHO
0 replies
Archived Replies
Reply ID 44501
21/09/2007 by newcomer
Maybe this is yet more evidence of an October 25th election?
Reply ID 44503
21/09/2007 by Ray_by_the_Beane
Well if Labour couldn't win here in 1997, they stand no chance whenever the next election is. So its only theoretical. Probably just giving him some experience of campaigning before getting a winnable seat the election after the next.
Reply ID 44504
21/09/2007 by xtra_xtra
quote:
Originally posted by newcomer
Maybe this is yet more evidence of an October 25th election?
Labour spin doctors having a good chuckle at the Tory's expence I imagine ... the reds have no chance round here but Mr Cameron will be squirming at the prospect of an immenent general election, given his current unpopularity. It's all good political fun.
Reply ID 44507
21/09/2007 by Leo Densian
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
“I am honoured to have been chosen to represent Labour at the next general election, by local party members in Hertford and Stortford, and look forward to the challenge of beating the current Tory MP, Mark Prisk.”
As Capt. Mainwaring once said, "we're delving into the realms of fantasy here Jones".
If his opening gambit is just to slag off the current MP, its a bit of an own goal.
Reply ID 44510
21/09/2007 by shunt
quote:
Originally posted by Leo Densian
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
“I am honoured to have been chosen to represent Labour at the next general election, by local party members in Hertford and Stortford, and look forward to the challenge of beating the current Tory MP, Mark Prisk.”
As Capt. Mainwaring once said, "we're delving into the realms of fantasy here Jones".
If his opening gambit is just to slag off the current MP, its a bit of an own goal.
Sadly, true. Labour is unlikely to waste a strong candidate here and Conservative doesn't need one. The residents believe themselves rich enough to benefit from the Tories, so Hertford votes exactly as it always has, without thought or reason and despite there being a lack of anyone worth voting for. Now, if we could push the area into "marginal" status, we might find we are offered a better choice of prospective MPs.
Reply ID 44515
21/09/2007 by carlos fandango
Have to disagree with you there Shunt. A few of us around Hertford know enough about what Labour has done in the last 10 odd years to make the other lots economic mistakes look small fry. And I'm not talking about NR.
Reply ID 44516
21/09/2007 by shaun
So in your opinion, this mean that anyone voting Conservative is doing so without thought!
Reply ID 44518
21/09/2007 by xtra_xtra
quote:
Originally posted by shunt
quote:
Originally posted by Leo Densian
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
“I am honoured to have been chosen to represent Labour at the next general election, by local party members in Hertford and Stortford, and look forward to the challenge of beating the current Tory MP, Mark Prisk.”
As Capt. Mainwaring once said, "we're delving into the realms of fantasy here Jones".
If his opening gambit is just to slag off the current MP, its a bit of an own goal.
Sadly, true. Labour is unlikely to waste a strong candidate here and Conservative doesn't need one. The residents believe themselves rich enough to benefit from the Tories, so Hertford votes exactly as it always has, without thought or reason and despite there being a lack of anyone worth voting for. Now, if we could push the area into "marginal" status, we might find we are offered a better choice of prospective MPs.
Shunt, surely the Tories would want their better MPs in safe, true-blue seats so as not to risk losing them? You may not rate MP Mark Prisk but he was a shadow cabinet member the last time I checked - so obviously his leaders think he's alright!
Why would marginal status mean stronger Tory candidates? Logically, it would be the other way round. Do you have any gripes with Mr Prisk as your local MP?
Reply ID 44522
21/09/2007 by JohnSmith
I think shunt has it bang on. An MP in a marginal seat should, theoretically, work their cods off to keep the constituents happy otherwise they are in danger of losing their seat.
I also believe that the majority of voters vote for either a personality or who the media favours. How many people know who stood against Mark Prisk in the last two elections? He may not be a big personailty but he is more well known than his opponents.
Reply ID 44548
22/09/2007 by furrybunny
Mark Prisk does a first rate job for small/local business, also whenever I have had to get in touch with him, he always replies with a personal letter, he has his constituent's at heart, whether Tory, Labour etc. that's being a good MP, pity there is not many like him in all parties.
Reply ID 44559
22/09/2007 by Brockman
quote:
Originally posted by carlos fandango
Have to disagree with you there Shunt. A few of us around Hertford know enough about what Labour has done in the last 10 odd years to make the other lots economic mistakes look small fry. And I'm not talking about NR.
Economic mistakes? I don't seem to remember Labour making an economic mistake of the scale in the past ten years that has caused Black Wednesday to look like small fry...
Reply ID 44566
22/09/2007 by shunt
In a national election, the local candidate matters less than the policies of the party. I do not know any of the candidates well enough to judge their personal integrity, neither is there any way of judging from the blurb they will push through the door. I know of one candidate (contesting a vacant seat elsewhere) who has completely faked her entire qualifications and life history. One could be persuaded to vote for anyone if he had a good enough copy writer. I tend to vote on moral grounds, rather than selfish ones, but it's never easy to tell which is the least immoral party.
Reply ID 44580
24/09/2007 by carlos fandango
Well you could start with selling off the country's gold reserves (and announcing before hand that you are going to do it so that everyone can short the gold market and make very easy and very large profits) and then move on to the destruction of the pension system so as to lay the seeds of a huge problem in 20 to 30 years time.
Or don't those count?
Reply ID 44581
24/09/2007 by shunt
quote:
Originally posted by carlos fandango
Well you could start with selling off the country's gold reserves (and announcing before hand that you are going to do it so that everyone can short the gold market and make very easy and very large profits) and then move on to the destruction of the pension system so as to lay the seeds of a huge problem in 20 to 30 years time.
Or don't those count?
...or announce that all Britain's power stations will be converted to natural gas, whilst destroying the alternatives, thus ensuring faster depletion and enough profit to bankrole another term in office.
I was trying not to be quite so obvious Carlos [:I]
Reply ID 44583
24/09/2007 by carlos fandango
Interestingly, "Black Wednesday" was the primer for the conditions that Labour have benefitted from over the last 10 years. Shame they frittered the money away. Guess all politicians are the same...snouts in the trough.
Reply ID 44584
24/09/2007 by shunt
quote:
Originally posted by carlos fandango
Interestingly, "Black Wednesday" was the primer for the conditions that Labour have benefitted from over the last 10 years. Shame they frittered the money away. Guess all politicians are the same...snouts in the trough.
Indeed it presented a Hobson's choice for whoever inherited, boats having been burned. We have seen some compensations paid for the pension and banking rip-offs of the 80's era, though this government is only just starting to address the housing crisis caused by the "right to buy" policy which particularly effects us here. Thankfully we no longer live with 17% mortgage rates, mass unemployment and riots, but there have been some real howlers too in the areas of civil liberty and foriegn policy.
Interesting documentary coming up on CH4, regarding MP's expenses and benefits. I think many will be suprised how little of their total income is listed as salary and taxable.
16 replies