Tuesday, April 10, 2007

LibDems Delay Mayoral Selection?

Well it seems that the Conservatives aren't the only ones to have problems selecting a London mayoral candidate. Today was the day when the LibDems were to have announced their shortlist to be put to the vote. But it's not 11.20pm and I've seen no sign of it. A quick check of LibDem Blogs Aggregated shows no sign of anything either. Here is the London Region LibDems original timetable.

2 March Advert for top-up and constituencies and Mayor
11 March GLA Assessment Day
23 March Closing date for applications
25 March Mayor approval day
30 March Final submission of artwork for manifesto booklet
30/31 March Shortlisting for Top–up List
10 April Announce shortlist for List & Mayor
30 April Dispatch ballot papers
25 May Close of ballot
28 May Count


I gather that since only four people have applied and none of them are 'names'. It is now likely they will delay the announcement and reopen nominations - just like the Conservatives had to...

UPDATE Mon 10am: This email has been sent out to London LibDems this morning... "All, please note that because the mayoral selection is not going ahead as planned, the announcement the press were expecting will not be happening."

UPDATE Mon 11.50pm: Justin Hinchcliffe alerts me to THIS press release from August 2006 in which Simon Hughes says this...
"Ahead of tomorrow's deadline for applications to be the Conservative
Party's London mayoral candidate, Simon Hughes MP, former Liberal Democrat
candidate for Mayor of London, said: "The clock is ticking for the Tories yet
there seem to be no big guns coming forward for the job. "Over the coming months
the Liberal Democrats will cast the net far and wide in our search for a
candidate to represent our diverse capital. People from ethnic minority
communities, women and non-politicos will be at the forefront of our selection
process.

Oh well, he who laughs first...

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's funny both parties slate Ken yet can't find anyone willing to face him in an election...

Anonymous said...

Wot no Simon Hughes????

Seriously though after all the fuss the LimpDums made about Susan Kramer not needing to be a name because she was a "Woman of The People" have they finally come to their senses about the appalling Pop Idol nature of the London Mayoral contest.

Anonymous said...

Boris would walk it.

Chris Paul said...

AS you admit yourself Iain this is a case of Glasshouses. Labour have our candidate - a cheeky chappy with excellent name recognition thanks to the likes of yourself - lined up and ready to roll.

CityUnslicker said...

are you not standing for Mayor now Iain????

Newmania said...

I continue to be furious with the Conservative Party for not even bothering to answer my application which was supported by the hard working local Party and was entirely reasonable not to say well written ( wasted endeavour I suspect). I noted yesterday that in Islington we have managed to contest every ward and maintain a presence despite only a slim chance of an success .
Subsequent attempts to establish with whom the blame lay have been fruitless and those responsible for administering the system have proven to be the usual Alzheimer victims beloved of the Conservative Party’s administration. I wonder sometimes if the Party does not put to much effort into its star acts and not enough into maintaining the machinery of the Party where there is little glory to be had .
Despite all its Polling gains there is only a small chance of an outright majority under Cameron and this is because the Party has ceased to exist over large tracts of the UK. Partly this is because the job of an MP has become a middleclass quasi profession and is no longer an expression of conviction or public spirited ness. Why should anyone give their time freely in order to further someone else’s selfishly motivated career ?
With Party membership across the board so low and disengagement by all in the increasingly meaningless charade of Westminster the advent of tax funding for this insular , parasitic and discredited class will be a new low . When I try to interest people in the wholesale loss of sovereignty perpetrated by Bureaucratic EU sneak thieves I am always met with a shrug and the answer well “….could it be any worse than this lot “.

For all that the Mayor is a silly and meaningless sinecure it is still the largest directly elected position in the UK and as such has the potential to reconnect London at least with its governance. It is so very disappointing that behind David Cameron’s well intentioned initiative there has been no action. Some will see this as the inevitable outcome of valuing image over substance which appears to mark the current Party thinking.
Conservatives have learnt a lot about marketing over the last few years but one lesson has gone astray . A satisfied customer will tell three people. A dis-satisfied customer will tell ten. I hope this sort of arrogant careless ness is not often repeated

Chris Paul said...

Have posted a cleaned up version of the K Cross Clan Lib Dems on Fence Graphic HERE. Hat tip welcome.

Chris Paul said...

Limp Duds. They really don't like Duds. Much as LOL generally don't like upsetting people we do occasionally make exceptions. For Duds.

Anonymous said...

How Ming Campbell can claim the party is making forward strides when these kind of situations occur is truly beyond me.

Anonymous said...

I was surprised you weren't a Mayoral candidate Mr Newman. What shall I do with my home made banners etc....??

Anonymous said...

tom_r - the exact same thing happened to the Tories...

Anonymous said...

Just how long is it going to take those twits at Central Office to pick up the phone and call Steve Norris?

Anonymous said...

newmania says: "I noted yesterday that in Islington we have managed to contest every ward and maintain a presence despite only a slim chance of an success"- Not in my ward in Islington they didn't - Mildmay. The candidates screwed up their nomination papers.
Sorry to throw cold water etc.

Newmania said...

Oh yes I forgot about that..still generally a good. I have to confess that the denizens of Mildmay are almost bestially stupid . There is not a lot you can do with them...they live from road kill and sleep under Newspaper.

IAIN WE WILL NEVER HEAR THE LAST OF THIS FROM JUSTIN !!!!!!ARCRGGGGH

Anonymous said...

Meral, you're a LibDem Councillor in Mildmay ward yourself aren't you?

Chris Paul said...

How David Cameron can claim his party is making great strides forward when they make even greater cock ups than this and draw attention to them by gloating over the Lib Dems change of plans.

Chris Paul said...

Time to rehabilitate Dame Shirley or Lord St Jeffrey - author of the 5th Gospel.

Newmania said...

Dame Shirley ...yes such terible things she did bribing voters with houses...except ..isn`t that what the Labour Party and Liberal Party do to sustain any presence in the South of England at all.

In Islington they plan to continue to do it sharing the blame with their disgusting chum Livingstone they have further 11000 Social housing units planned for the Borough.

Don`t worry thought they will get their own children safely out of ther 21st centurey slums they create to retain their grip on tax payers money. Their attitude to the Leasepayers is characterised by doctrinal loathing as well and this at least they cannot steal their way out of .

They really are without any shred of morality

Anonymous said...

Newmania, are you alright? You seem...tense. Should I be watching out for a video that you've sent to the BBC in the middle of your inevitable rampage?