tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post5491576687271678087..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: Action Point 1: Sack the Chairwoman of the Electoral CommissionIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-11860081109501419582010-05-13T20:15:10.507+01:002010-05-13T20:15:10.507+01:00Whilst the Chair of the electoral commission shoul...Whilst the Chair of the electoral commission should carry the can for the travesty that occurred, there are also lessons to be learned. Being in Mcr Withington, the following should be looked into.<br />1. Mcr Withington has always had the highest turnout of the 5 Manchester constituencies. Was this allowed for?<br />2. Students tend to vote late - on the way to the pub. The problems were mostly in areas with high student numbers e.g. Fallowfield and Ladybarn.<br />3. Was lack of voting booths (2 per station) an issue?<br />4. Were there procedural changes? The clerks seemed to take longer than usual (there was local elections as well). Was this due to having the electoral lists in postal address order, rather than alphabetical order of name or street address?<br />5. Queues were already forming at 11am. Why did none of the clerks summon help? Or if they did, why was none available?<br />5. Also, why did it take much longer in Manchester Town Hall to count the vote? The result was at least 3 hours later than usual. I think this happened in lots of other areas as results seemed to come through more slowly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-77502515679017699512010-05-12T23:36:27.785+01:002010-05-12T23:36:27.785+01:00Just to emphasise my point the linked story demons...Just to emphasise my point the linked story demonstrates why independent Electoral Commissions have a role - especially since it was only yesterday that a senior Tory was accusing the Deputy PM of Mugabe type politics.<br /><br />http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article3856871.ecetory boys never grow uphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11172736984147732661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-56748215696007700672010-05-12T23:31:38.667+01:002010-05-12T23:31:38.667+01:00Your new Liberal Democratic friends haven't ta...Your new Liberal Democratic friends haven't taught you much about liberalism or democracy. For very good reasons the conduct of elections shoul;d be kept separate from the executive. At present the Chair of the Electoral Commission is not accountable to the Government but to a Speaker's Committee representing all the parties - so it would need a change of law to sack her. <br /><br />I actually share your view that the Electoral Commission is an incompetent body and actually hasn't had the courage to say boo to the Returning Officers, who have resisted most steps to modernise our electoral process. But trying to make it accountable to a governemnt department would be a highly retrograde step. I am not sure any sensible politician would willingly accept the responsibility for the conduct of elections either - given the inevitable accusations when something goes wrong. <br /><br />The Law that requires the Commissioners and staff not to have belonged to political parties in the recent past has actually resulted in a body with little understanding of how politics and elections actually work - and there is a lot to be siad for it being relaxed in favour of something which allows a balance of people from a political background.tory boys never grow uphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11172736984147732661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-38639261163881874152010-05-12T23:31:38.668+01:002010-05-12T23:31:38.668+01:00As others have pointed out, the Electoral Commissi...As others have pointed out, the Electoral Commission does not run elections. Does Iain really understand that? I'd have thought he would do since he's been so involved in so many but still...<br /><br />Two substantial points.<br /><br />1. He wants it to be accountable. The whole idea is that it is independent! Again, I would have thought Iain would know that the Commission has a role in regulating party finance. Is that something that should be 'accountable' to the govt of the day? <br /><br />2. Action point 1? Really? Number one? Not the economy or appointing a cabinet or anything of that sort? Number one on the list is to sack the chair of the Electoral Commission. Time to come up for air, Iain.McSweeneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18087647822227824685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-33664886089726714662010-05-12T18:52:45.680+01:002010-05-12T18:52:45.680+01:00Newmark
"pete-s 1.35 p.m. said...
"The ...Newmark<br /><br />"pete-s 1.35 p.m. said...<br />"The woman is stupid and does not know how an election works. ... It is not possible to run the same list checks with several streams"<br /><br />I have voted at polling stations where they have dual checking and ballot-paper issuing streams."<br /><br />I said you have to have already made arrangements as to how the vote is to be split before hand. It is not something that can be done at the spur of the moment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-9856183388847944592010-05-12T18:00:49.161+01:002010-05-12T18:00:49.161+01:00Didn't hear the woman but am prepared to assum...Didn't hear the woman but am prepared to assume you are right. <br /><br />Haven't checked this comprehensively but have a feeling that most of the problems were in labour held council areas where they PROBABLY decided that Democracy was not that important and could concentrate any savings on electoral functions!Osama the Nazarenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13627668308711758602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-64302023006659038142010-05-12T17:23:27.747+01:002010-05-12T17:23:27.747+01:00The woman is a serial QUANGO-hopper, and a manifes...The woman is a serial QUANGO-hopper, and a manifestation of the seeming exponential growth in the number of public sector bodies, organizations, and committees over the last 13 years.<br /><br />Add to that the fact that she is plainly an idiot, and shouldn't even be put in charge of a primary school tuck-shop.Nick Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12967674294993676411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-13197258135248731522010-05-12T16:43:15.225+01:002010-05-12T16:43:15.225+01:00pete-s 1.35 p.m. said...
"The woman is stupid...pete-s 1.35 p.m. said...<br /><i>"The woman is stupid and does not know how an election works. ... It is not possible to run the same list checks with several streams"</i><br /><br />I have voted at polling stations where they have dual checking and ballot-paper issuing streams.Newmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02313165998730705169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-69086068907171408322010-05-12T16:23:06.999+01:002010-05-12T16:23:06.999+01:00I have been trying for three hours to post on this...I have been trying for three hours to post on this thread, basically agreeing with all the points made by johnmmorrison7. (Also pointing out that my husband has been an election presiding officer and was not paid in cash, as George alleged, but was taxed on his earnings).<br /><br />As, for some technical reason, I have been thwarted in my efforts to post until now, am I entitled to £750 compensation?Charlotte Cordayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02699082712772273159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-52868325576253559772010-05-12T16:16:38.388+01:002010-05-12T16:16:38.388+01:00Glad to see you agree with me on this, Iain. :) T...Glad to see you agree with me on this, Iain. :) The buck stops with Ms Watson.Adrianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08849911135910830411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-68401167302943189862010-05-12T15:44:19.710+01:002010-05-12T15:44:19.710+01:001. The Electoral Commission doesn't run electi...1. The Electoral Commission doesn't run elections, local returning officers do. Jenny Watson may/may not be the right person to run it but she can't be blamed for Thursday night's cockups at local level.<br />2. Postal voting on demand is incompatible with the secret ballot and invites fraud. Labour introduced it and the other two parties went along with it. The Electoral Commission can't be blamed for it, but it should be calling for the change in the law to be reversed.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09941727588275098805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-56946226172112563902010-05-12T15:36:56.919+01:002010-05-12T15:36:56.919+01:00JDR: The Chairman of the Commission is the wrong t...JDR: <i>The Chairman of the Commission is the wrong target.</i><br /><br />Thank you. I was beginning to think that it was me that was wrong.<br /><br />I marvelled at David Dimbleby and Nick Robinson spluttering with rage on the TV last Thursday evening and fulminating at the poor woman whom I rather admired for voluneering to give an interview.Mick Turatianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12533201193634948442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-71059121061240660932010-05-12T15:17:10.240+01:002010-05-12T15:17:10.240+01:00The Electoral Commission will always fail since it...The Electoral Commission will always fail since it doesn't have the right powers. You can have someone else unable to do anything about it next time if you like. But there are a thousand things we need to change about our electoral system: authentication, fraud, duplication, count times, role of electronic voting, contingency. There needs to be an enquiry with quite a wide brief.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-47074393441696561082010-05-12T14:54:23.438+01:002010-05-12T14:54:23.438+01:00I have just spent far too much time reading both t...I have just spent far too much time reading both the provisions of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and the responsibilities of the Electoral Commission.<br /><br />The Act specifies that it is the Returning Officer who is responsible for the running of the ballot. The rules say<br /><br />=====<br />29(1)The returning officer shall provide each presiding officer with such number of ballot boxes and ballot papers as in the returning officer’s opinion may be necessary.<br />=====<br /><br />The Commission is not responsible for carrying out any of the business of running the ballot, and the Act clearly refers to the opinion of the Returning Officer, NOT the opinion of the Commission.<br /><br /><br />The Chairman of the Commission is the wrong target.jdrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16008038550864745019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-80265043125638809252010-05-12T14:52:30.199+01:002010-05-12T14:52:30.199+01:00Action Point 2.
Go through all the Quangos and cl...Action Point 2.<br /><br />Go through all the Quangos and clean out the Labour plants. If they don't they will leave ZaNuLabour fifth columnist's in the heart of government to screw up implementation of government policy.skyninehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14253303817242806731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-53687768061519166102010-05-12T14:49:41.970+01:002010-05-12T14:49:41.970+01:00I agree too, and I also think I further agree with...I agree too, and I also think I further agree with your correspondents who have suggested abolishing it completely. It has manifestly and comprehensively failed in its sole objective to guarantee free and fair elections, both by failing to ensure an equitable set of seat boundaries (reminder: more than a million more votes and a greater share than Labour in 2005, yet nobody disingenuously tried to claim they didn't win that election) and that the election itself was conducted freely and fairly. When a QANGO completely fails to do its job, it's time to do away with it.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10550518743770741600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-28260935030894013582010-05-12T13:35:07.456+01:002010-05-12T13:35:07.456+01:00The woman is stupid and does not know how an elect...The woman is stupid and does not know how an election works. She said that if there are queues of voters that extra people should be sent. You CANNOT increase the throughput with extra people, because it is a serial process. The check has to be made on a single list that you are a voter and have not voted, then you reference is given to the person who has the voting list which states what the number of your voting paper. This is so they can see at a later date who you voted for. It is not possible to run the same list checks with several streams, it would nullify the election process.<br /><br />The only solution is to have small enough wards so that they are not overloaded. So Jenny Watson suggestion to sent extra people is so stupid she should be sacked now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-52963203015911714552010-05-12T13:28:48.161+01:002010-05-12T13:28:48.161+01:00I'm quite minded that you're going after t...I'm quite minded that you're going after the wrong target. Are you honestly surprised she appeared on screen to try and make sure the Commission got across their side of the story behind the issues when the last 13 years has been of a Government quick to adopt a sloping shoulders position? <br /><br />The Electoral Commisson is a fudge with no effective powers or control. It was set up to push responsibility away from Whitehall and delay change, not promote it. As Jenny Watson quite rightly pointed out, numerous suggestions have been put to the previous Government and were just fobbed off. <br /><br />Either get shot of the Commission or give it a real role in a root and branch reform of how parties are funded and the polling process. Only when that is done and the country has a voting structure that is secure and trustworthy can Cameron and Cleg begin to think about considering alternative voting systems such as PR etc.Evensonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03483071540669512423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-26539125224778393002010-05-12T12:29:05.775+01:002010-05-12T12:29:05.775+01:00The system is designed to be abused.
Why do we nee...The system is designed to be abused.<br />Why do we need postal votes on demand?<br /><br />With Theresa May in charge at the Home Office I wouldn't pass the job back to them yet? (I wouldn't trust her to run a bath).<br />...Twighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16698620636313191152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-68145591097507406522010-05-12T12:25:01.418+01:002010-05-12T12:25:01.418+01:00Surely it is important though that elections are o...Surely it is important though that elections are overseen by an independent authority and not any government department - whilst the current lot can be trusted to run them fair it is surely best to have a system where they can't interfere easily in future should that changeUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02269981860251529130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-86953976207509188362010-05-12T12:25:01.419+01:002010-05-12T12:25:01.419+01:00to Mick @11.12
What is the problem?
This. If the E...to Mick @11.12<br />What is the problem?<br />This. If the EC aren't responsible for the cockups then what are they there for?<br />Another useless quango for labour placemen.<br />The postal voting scam must be ended, along with the idea that one can turn up and vote without having to show one's ID. Both open to fraud.<br /><br />I just hope that Callmedave has the balls to root out the corruption and clean the system out. heaven knows it's needed.<br /><br />I'm not holding my breathDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00448711775318691029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1644786913230154372010-05-12T12:18:01.774+01:002010-05-12T12:18:01.774+01:00Can I add the name of that totally wretched woman ...Can I add the name of that totally wretched woman making this country a laughing stock in Euroland Cathy Ashdon, Who did she blackmail in the Nu-Labour government by promising to not disclose a scandal if she was given the £300,000 unelected post.Lauchlan McLeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01589914629555123064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-5785900778859413632010-05-12T12:13:13.784+01:002010-05-12T12:13:13.784+01:00Sean Haffey is unfortunately correct. ID cards wou...Sean Haffey is unfortunately correct. ID cards would make a difference but an unacceptable one.<br /><br />And, yes, she must go. She failed and tough times lie ahead. If you can't do your cosy quangocrat job then you have to go.RJFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16872699526057398164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-63388327616329569432010-05-12T12:01:09.190+01:002010-05-12T12:01:09.190+01:00First class comment. If Prime Minister and his Dep...First class comment. If Prime Minister and his Deputy act on your suggestion it will one of the first steps in persuading me and many others to return to the Conservative Party as active members. Under Lord Pearson poor old UKIP will slowly fade away.Lauchlan McLeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01589914629555123064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-6705333083658069122010-05-12T11:57:37.999+01:002010-05-12T11:57:37.999+01:00Agreed 100%.
A Lbourite in a safe Quango, yet ano...Agreed 100%.<br /><br />A Lbourite in a safe Quango, yet another job for mate nepotism that we have known as a NuLab speciality.<br />Make her fall on her sword, and go, NO PAYOFF considered, just gross mismanagement, which should also be a hindrance to this bloody woman getting any other poublic sector job.<br /><br /><br />As for the voting.<br /><br />Bear in mind that the polling staff are local council employees. They were deliberate in their actions. All know there will be cutbacks. So they worked to rule, at the slowest pace, enforced every nit-picking rule from the book and wasted time, deliberately, so as to frustrate voters.<br />They get paid cash for this exercise, cash money no tax or NI. There are plenty of people who would have been willing to do the job, more efficiently and a darn site faster and better.Penfoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16946700329323417719noreply@blogger.com