I see that the LibDems in their election literature are up to the same tricks in Hexham as they are in every other constituency in the UK - choosing a convenient set of electoral results to claim that only they can challenge the incumbent MP, be they Tory or Labour. The facts are simple: in the general elections of 1992, 1997, 2001 and 2005, the Conservative candidate in Hexham came first, the Labour candidate came second, and the LibDem candidate came third. Since the LibDem candidate in Hexham this time around was the third-placed candidate in 2005, you'd think he might know this!
To avoid the inevitable conclusion that Labour are the main challengers here, the Liberals point to the most recent set of local election results where Labour candidates admittedly did poorly. But there's two essential points to bear in mind.
First, people split their votes between local elections and general elections, and realise that the choice at this election is between a Conservative or a Labour government, not a Conservative or a Liberal government.
Second, many of the votes which Labour lost at the last set of local elections went to Independent candidates, many of whom were former Labour councillors who lost out when Tynedale Council was merged into the unitary authority and all-women shortlists were imposed.
At the debate at Haydon Bridge High School, the LibDem candidate described Hexham as a "three-way marginal". If that's correct, that means any of the three major parties can win here, including Labour. Since the LibDem candidate's a nice enough local guy doing no more than typical LibDem 'spin', I forgive him.
Now for the tricky part - making sure Labour actually does win here ...
3 comments:
Evening Chronicle 7th May 2010.
“Hexham Falls to Labour!!!!!”
Sounds good – if not highly improbable!
Back in the Summer of 1970,standing in the old Mart in Hexham with a girlfriend of mine trying to peddle the Socialist Worker to our Country Cousins – no matter which sales techniques we employed were hugely unsuccessful. Wilson, needlessly having called a General Election proceeded to hand power to the Tories and then set about blaming everyone but himself and his policies for the defeat.
40 years on and my opinions that the only way forward for British Politics was
to go down the path of Proportional Representation have not changed. The missed opportunities of an integrated transport policy and a coherent energy policy, utilising the vast reserves of Coal on our islands have gone, and why?
Because the two party political system which we have, restricted the parties concerned from accepting any other point of view than their own. Big Business,Powerful Unions = conflict of interests. PR is a viable alternative.More importantly the formerly wishy-washy LibDems can and must deliver this to the British Electorate this time around.
Hexham may fall to a party other than the Conservatives, but I believe it may be to the LibDems.
There are hustings in Prudhoe tonight. If I understand it correctly the Lib Dems will be sending a substitute. That just shows how concerned they are about the seat.
I was sorry I didn't catch up with you after the Abbey, but I caught up and I am not sure if I can stay after tonight.
Good luck to all the candidates. Let's keep the campaign clean!!
I am concerned about the Liberal; I think he may only be a paper candidate; he has not updated his blog since November 2008.
I wonder if this posting will alert them to the fact? If they are not updating their own blog, I doubt that they are reading their opponents' blogs.
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