Sunday, May 06, 2007

Why the LibDems Failed In Wales

For the third Welsh election in a row, the LibDems couldn't get more than 6 AMs, despite breathless promises that this time they would overtake the Tories. Ordovicius reckons their campaign was a shambles, and he lays it at the door of one man - Duncan Borrowman.
Here's an interesting fact for you, the Lib Dems did a lot better on the first
vote than the second. The party received 14.8% of the constituency vote compared
with 11.7% of t6he regional votes. The difference between the two figures is
substantially more than any of the other parties. Looking at the individual
constituencies the difference is shocking. The Tories, for example, won the
regional vote in Montgomeryshire, Brecon and Radnor.Of course, except for a
fistful of constituencies, the regional vote was important to the party. What
then went wrong? Well, the plain, incredible truth is that the party targeted
the wrong vote.I'm sure you can remember all the fuss about charts and
quotations on the party's leaflets that claimed a "two horse race" or "only we
can beat party X here". What were these doing in reality? Well, they asked
people to cast their first (constituency) vote strategically in an irrelevent
race and to use their second (regional) vote any way they wished -but it was the
regional vote that counted.Who was responsible for this strategic bloomer? It's
time to meet Duncan Borrowman.
For the full story, click HERE.

UPDATE: Following on from THIS story yesterday, Peter Black AM has told the Arsembly Blog HERE that Mike German should stand down and that the LibDems should not enter into a coalition with Labour. Interestingly, it is being reported in Scotland that the LibDems there will only talk to the SNP about a coalition and not Labour.

UPDATE: More from Wales on Sunday HERE and Peter Black HERE.

16 comments:

Ross said...

For a party that is obsessed with PR that is an incredible piece on ineptitude if it is true.

Anonymous said...

Peter Black disputes the claim that Duncan is to blame. Either way, the Lib Dems obviously DID make a mess of their PR strategy in the elections.

Anonymous said...

Read the comments Iain. Duncan DESIGNED the leaflets, he didn't write them. And he didn't do Montgomeryshire's or Brecon & Radnor's.

Anonymous said...

Hmm. Makes sense. Winning in the constituency does not help your position in the Assembly if your regional vote in unchanged as it means that you simply lose a compensatory top up seat.

To increase representation, you need to get people to vote for you on the regional list.

In other words, this system of PR is all about the party list.

Good God! Somebody scrap it now!!!!

If you're going to do PR, at least do STV. It's the only system of PR that isn't unspeakable. For sure, it sucks but less than this bastardised system we have at the moment.

Anonymous said...

Read the comments Iain. Duncan DESIGNED the leaflets, he didn't write them. And he didn't do Montgomeryshire's or Brecon & Radnor's.


Read the post, anonymous. Iain isn't pointing the finger at anyone, it's the BBC's Vaughan Roderick who is making the accusations, and Vaughan is very rarely mistaken.

Blamerbell said...

"Ordovicius reckons their campaign was a shambles, and he lays it at the door of one man - Duncan Borrowman"

Ordovicius doesn't reckon bugger all. It's a translation of an article by Vaughan Roderick:)

Anonymous said...

Ordovicius doesn't reckon bugger all.

Actually for the record I do reckon the Lib Dem campaign was a shambles ;)

Duncan Borrowman said...

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story hey Iain.
http://duncanborrowman.blogspot.com/2007/05/iain-dale-wales-and-why-blogs-should.html

Anonymous said...

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story hey Iain.


The facts are that Vaughan Roderick posted a blog post about you on his BBC blog. Pointing the finger at both Iain and myself whilst pouting won't make that any less true. It seems to me that rather than defend yourself and offer your own account of events, you prefer to sulk.

Duncan Borrowman said...

My own account is on my blog.

Iain Dale said...

Indeed it is Duncan. Care to explain why you haven't allowed the comment I posted through?

Duncan Borrowman said...

Because I didn't get an alert Iain. But just been and checked, and you are right, there is a comment there and I have published it. Vinegar with that chip Mr Dale?

Duncan Borrowman said...

To answer your other question on my blog:
http://owersby.wordpress.com/about-me/
"Agent and campaign manager for Norman Lamb MP when he was first elected in 2001."

Iain Dale said...

I wasn't around then!

Duncan Borrowman said...

Oh yes, well spotted!

Anonymous said...

Here's More
about Duncan and the Lib Dem PR cock up. As well as THIS