The postal votes are out there now. In Brighton Pavilion, something like 10000 voters will be voting postally. It’s astonishing. It’s also tantalising to wonder what those ballots cast could tell us but that must elude us. The postal vote packs went out last week and a great percentage have been returned already. It does […]
Election Notes 28/04/10: Going Postal Read More »
I walk down a street and the first thing I wonder is how the doors are numbered. I haven’t taken a go on Facebook Scrabble for 4 days. I’ve skipped my beloved pub quiz several times and that NEVER happens. Red garments are being worn more. Blue and green ones. Not so much. My jacket
Election Notes 27/04/10/: It must be election time because… Read More »
Do you know David Hare’s play The Absence of War? It’s a thinly veiled account of Kinnock’s experience in the 1992 campaign. In the play, Labour leader George Jones loses to a man rather more like David Cameron than John Major. I saw it at the national theatre many moons ago with John Thaw as
Election Notes 26/04/10: Fast forward to May 7th? Read More »
As any activist knows, canvassing isn’t really about persuasion (although it does sometimes turn into a discussion, and quite right too). It’s predominantly a data collecting exercise. Where is your support? Make sure you solidify it. Get your people out on polling day. That’s why I love a Tory on the doorstep. I thank them
Election Notes 25/04/10: Beware polite Tories Read More »
A friend asked me the other day: “I don’t want a Tory MP. So who’s telling the truth: Labour or Green?” He was referring to the Labour and Green leaflets that are going out and both claim to be the only ones who can beat the Conservatives here. It’s a fair question and the answer
Election Notes: 24/04/10: What’s an anti-Tory vote in Brighton Pavilion? Read More »
Courtesy of my friend Neil. Here’s a drawing. One of my favourite spoonerisms: it’s a voting floater.
Election Notes 23/04/10: Can you tell what it is yet? Read More »
The retiring MP for Brighton Pavilion, David Lepper, is a good man. I’ve told him off about voting for the Digital Economy Bill. Fear not. But he worked hard to get to parliament and there are very few folk who’d say he hasn’t been a great local MP since 1997. David has been clearing out
Election Notes 22/04/10: Before 1997, before Iraq Read More »
Not many years ago, when I lived in London, I was voting in the Mayoral election or the like. It might have been an MEP election. I can’t recall. But it was a PR election because I’m certain I voted Green as my second preference. Why did I vote Green? I couldn’t tell you that
Election Notes 21/04/10: I voted Green once Read More »
It’s one of those mysteries: why isn’t Brighton and Hove a Liberal Democrat stronghold? Next door Lewes has had the services of the extremely diligent Norman Baker since 1997 but any Seagulls fan will spit at the very mention of his name. Brighton got its first MP in 1832* with the Great Reform Act (which
Election Notes 20/04/10: What does the LibDem surge mean in Brighton Pavilion? Read More »
A few weeks ago I was thrilled to go to the Civil Partnership of my chums David and Sune. David is a Tory and a high earner. He frequently has a go at me about the new higher rate of income tax and how Labour is ruining him. So when it came to sign the
Election Notes 19/04/10: Civil Partnerships Read More »
I’ve been out and about canvassing for Labour on the doorstep the last few weeks. Anyone who’s done it before will attest to the amusing things you see and hear as your peek into people’s lives and homes. These ones tickled: “What election is it? Oh, a General Election. I thought we hadn’t had one
Election Notes 18/04/10: Doorstep Gems Read More »
We’re staring a hung parliament in the face. It’ll be the first one in my lifetime (although not the first minority government: remember Major in the dog days of his administration) and it will surely be the first of many. The thirst for electoral reform is growing and that is a good thing. Proper PR
Election Notes 17/04/10: The last FPTP General Election? Read More »
The PM came to town last Friday on the campaign trail and it was fascinating to see him in action at close quarters. I was also glad to shake his hand and share a few words with him. What a nice man. He arrived at BHASVIC to a rapturous welcome. The students from all over
Election Notes 16/04/10: The PM came to town Read More »
If political activists all over Britain were supposed to be glued to the telly for the historic first debate in General Election history, I didn’t get the memo. I was at a meeting for the most part discussing the day after and then decided to have a quiet, non-political beer with a chum afterwards. I
Election Notes 15/04/10: Cleggfever Read More »