On 22 February there is a North Norfolk District Council by-election in the St Benet's Ward, which includes Horning. We had two teams out this morning leafletting and canvassing. Chris How is our candidate - he's the one pictured in the middle. This afternoon I'm out in Cromer and then this evening we have John Major speaking at a dinner at the Hotel Wroxham - it's the biggest event they have ever held, and certainly the biggest dinner organise by my local party for probably a decade. I think after this we should just about be able to pay my election expenses!
What was the result last time around? What do the Conservatives consider a "win" here, Iain?
ReplyDeleteThe last result was a big majority for the Conservatives, with the Liberal Democrats getting only 14% of the vote. So I am assuming Iain is expecting similar, if not better, results.
ReplyDeleteTrouble is that when a party is squeezed down to that level (14% is quite pathetic), they can rarely sink further. Both major parties get around 10%-15% irrespective of what seat it is! I think that the LDs will improve on their position, the Tories will get another thumping majority but the LDs will claim success because they're up on 14%!
ReplyDeleteWell, such confidence could be impressive - or possibly rash... It seems to me that the result is very open - the Tories may have got a "thumping majority" 2 years ago or whenever the last election was, but the general standing of all 3 major parties (no need to be disingenous here!) has changed enormously since then.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we should just wait and see....
I would predict we should get a good result of 60%+. From what Iain says it is going well across Norfolk north and the Libs do not have a prayer.
ReplyDeleteI have learned never to write the LibDems off in by-elections. And I have also learned never to make predictions! Very interesting that our Member of Parliament seems to think spending every waking hour in horning is more important than being in Parliament. I notice he hasn't taken part in a vote so far this week.
ReplyDeleteAre you accusing your opponent of spending too much time in his constituency now, Iain? A curious new line of attack, if you don't mind me saying!
ReplyDeleteDepends what he's doing, doesn't it? I do not think running a district council by election is the best use of a Member of Parliament's time. We, after all, pay his salary.
ReplyDeleteYou always do this, Iain - you enjoy spreading around a bit of smear and innuendo but never actually base it on anything.
ReplyDeleteAre you really saying that Norman Lamb doesn't put in the hours on behalf of constituents? Or that he doesn't put more questions to ministers than most MPs? Or that he doesn't raise local concerns in Parliament on a regular basis?
Of course you aren't - because just about everyone is well aware that any such accusation would be false and that Norman Lamb (whatever you think of his politics) is a good local MP.
If Norman Lamb can find the time alongside all his other work as a constituency member to campaign in a council by-election, why shouldn't he do it? It sounds to me that you are just rattled by it.
Resorting to the sort of points you made above really is scraping the barrel. It is like somebody criticising you, if you ever became an MP, for "going to watch West Ham in the cup final when you should be running the country" - it is just laughable to make that sort of childish point.
I don't think it's me who's rattled.
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