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Sunday, June 04, 2006
Labour Selects its Bromley PPC
Labour has selected Rachel Reeves for the Bromley & Chislehurst By Election. She fought the seat at the last election. I'll be doing a piece on Bob Neill and what his selection means later on today. Promise!
Any idea where your mob's man Neill went to school? The Tory web-sites seem strangely coy on the subject. And why, you ask, is it of any interest to me?
I note from the BBC's site that he's "a barrister specialising in large-scale corporate fraud". A speciality that might come in handy when dealing with donors!
I wish people would stop moaning and groaning about the white middle aged Tory male thing. Its all about choosing a strategic candidate for the area. Bromley & Chislehurst is full of wealthy, mostly middle aged and elderly residents who are most comfortable with one of their own as a candidate. Why risk the seat for the sake of being PC? They can be PC when the MP for somewhere like Harrow East or Brighton Kemptown gets hit by a bus or something.
The tories are not making the right changes. Their is a systemic problem in the party in that the existing members put off new members thus their is a perpertual absence of "representative" candidates.
Labour have a similar problem. How many of them are from the stock they claim to represent - obviously voting is not class based and indeed even in the 50's and 60's there were working class tory voters and MT would never have won so handomly had she not had that support.
This primary style selection process may help but you will never change the representation of the party without affecting a change to the membership. DC has lifted alot of TB - What they have not done is nearly double the membership as TB did thus changing the paerty - Cameron has a good strategy shame his army is legless - no one to carry it through. Maybe you should pay me £200,000 a year as my strategy is very good. It has been noticed before in the places that count.
I note that DC recently said in a lecture to the power commision that closed PR list's are not democratic and a bad thing in electoral terms. Is he not imposing a closed list (The A list) on tory associations for the next GE 2009 - 2010???!!!
I am a little glad that Neill was selected as he is the people's choice and knows a lot about the region, but I would have liked to see how Julia would have got on. I helped out with the campaigning there yesterday and look forward to helping out Neill next weekend as well.
I think it is funny that Labour has chosen the same MP that has already lost a election in a strong Tory area to stand again, the word 'Cannae' comes to mind.
Rachel reeves was a great candidate last time and held second place. despite moving up North 2 months ago she has strong local links. Family live in the area. She went school etc etc.
Unlike the Lib Dem candidate who seems to be a career losing candidate having stood in Sevenokes.
Any idea where your mob's man Neill went to school? The Tory web-sites seem strangely coy on the subject. And why, you ask, is it of any interest to me?
ReplyDeleteI note from the BBC's site that he's "a barrister specialising in large-scale corporate fraud". A speciality that might come in handy when dealing with donors!
why, do you think Labour might want to hire him? Or on second thoughts, maybe he'd do cheap rates for the LibDems!
ReplyDeleteI wish people would stop moaning and groaning about the white middle aged Tory male thing. Its all about choosing a strategic candidate for the area. Bromley & Chislehurst is full of wealthy, mostly middle aged and elderly residents who are most comfortable with one of their own as a candidate. Why risk the seat for the sake of being PC? They can be PC when the MP for somewhere like Harrow East or Brighton Kemptown gets hit by a bus or something.
ReplyDeleteThe tories are not making the right changes. Their is a systemic problem in the party in that the existing members put off new members thus their is a perpertual absence of "representative" candidates.
ReplyDeleteLabour have a similar problem. How many of them are from the stock they claim to represent - obviously voting is not class based and indeed even in the 50's and 60's there were working class tory voters and MT would never have won so handomly had she not had that support.
This primary style selection process may help but you will never change the representation of the party without affecting a change to the membership. DC has lifted alot of TB - What they have not done is nearly double the membership as TB did thus changing the paerty - Cameron has a good strategy shame his army is legless - no one to carry it through. Maybe you should pay me £200,000 a year as my strategy is very good. It has been noticed before in the places that count.
I note that DC recently said in a lecture to the power commision that closed PR list's are not democratic and a bad thing in electoral terms. Is he not imposing a closed list (The A list) on tory associations for the next GE 2009 - 2010???!!!
Foxa
Doesn't she live in Yorkshire now?
ReplyDeleteI am a little glad that Neill was selected as he is the people's choice and knows a lot about the region, but I would have liked to see how Julia would have got on.
ReplyDeleteI helped out with the campaigning there yesterday and look forward to helping out Neill next weekend as well.
I think it is funny that Labour has chosen the same MP that has already lost a election in a strong Tory area to stand again, the word 'Cannae' comes to mind.
David
Rachel reeves was a great candidate last time and held second place. despite moving up North 2 months ago she has strong local links. Family live in the area. She went school etc etc.
ReplyDeleteUnlike the Lib Dem candidate who seems to be a career losing candidate having stood in Sevenokes.