Profiles still to be done - West Midlands

[iainbhx]

And has now been done.

[iainbhx]

I'll have a go at Wolvo NE, but it's been a while since I did anything more than pass through it at speed on the train, I get a chance to be rude about Renée Short and Maureen Hicks.

[Pete Whitehead]

I was there not long ago - had a drive around Low Hill and Heath Town which haven't changed much. I don't know the bits of the seat further out though really, especially Wednesfield. Same problem I had with South East - I lived in Blakenhall and know that area well along with the other parts of the seat in Wolverhampton proper, but I don't think I have ever even been to Bilston, which is kind of bizarre because I've been all over other parts of the Black Country

[iainbhx]

Oct 6, 2020 16:09:51 GMT Pete Whitehead said:

I was there not long ago - had a drive around Low Hill and Heath Town which haven't changed much. I don't know the bits of the seat further out though really, especially Wednesfield. Same problem I had with South East - I lived in Blakenhall and know that area well along with the other parts of the seat in Wolverhampton proper, but I don't think I have ever even been to Bilston, which is kind of bizarre because I've been all over other parts of the Black Country

I had friends in Bushbury about thirty years ago and I've been to Wednesfield more recently than that, but not much more recently. Heath Town never changes, I went for a job at New Cross Hospital when I left Uni and despite being desperate for work, I was quite glad I didn't get it.

Bilston I've been to a few times over the last few years.

[gwynthegriff]

Oct 6, 2020 16:16:59 GMT iainbhx said:

Bilston I've been to a few times over the last few years.

I feel for you.

[John Chanin]

I’ve said I’ll do Rugby, which leaves just Stafford & Stone.  Unless one of our Stoke based contributors wants to have a go, I’ll have a drive out to Loggerheads and Alton Towers, and do these later in the month.

[Deleted]

Jul 17, 2020 6:28:04 GMT John Chanin said:

This list is at mid-July.  I will edit it if and when more profiles are produced

Herefordshire
North Herefordshire is a bit light

What does "a bit light" mean? What more is needed?

[andrewp]

Oct 11, 2020 17:48:10 GMT @europeanlefty said:

Jul 17, 2020 6:28:04 GMT John Chanin said:

This list is at mid-July.  I will edit it if and when more profiles are produced

Herefordshire
North Herefordshire is a bit light

What does "a bit light" mean? What more is needed?

I would say it ideally needs something about where the Liberals were traditionally strong which enabled their near misses in the 1970s. Is there a welsh border traditional liberalism or was it community activism? Which towns might be more Conservative than others. I think Leominster has green councillors now. 

[iainbhx]

Oct 11, 2020 18:13:40 GMT andrewp said:

Oct 11, 2020 17:48:10 GMT @europeanlefty said:

What does "a bit light" mean? What more is needed?

I would say it ideally needs something about where the Liberals were traditionally strong which enabled their near misses in the 1970s. Is there a welsh border traditional liberalism or was it community activism? Which towns might be more Conservative than others. I think Leominster has green councillors now. 

Hereford and South Herefordshire suffers from the same problem. Light on detail and rather biased towards one party.

[Richard Allen]

Oct 11, 2020 18:13:40 GMT andrewp said:

Oct 11, 2020 17:48:10 GMT @europeanlefty said:

What does "a bit light" mean? What more is needed?

I would say it ideally needs something about where the Liberals were traditionally strong which enabled their near misses in the 1970s. Is there a welsh border traditional liberalism or was it community activism? Which towns might be more Conservative than others. I think Leominster has green councillors now. 

And maybe a brief description of the major settlements and something about the economy of the seat beyond the very basic assertion that it is "rural". Contrary to the impression given there is considerable diversity in the constituency.

[andrewp]

Oct 11, 2020 18:36:52 GMT Richard Allen said:

Oct 11, 2020 18:13:40 GMT andrewp said:

I would say it ideally needs something about where the Liberals were traditionally strong which enabled their near misses in the 1970s. Is there a welsh border traditional liberalism or was it community activism? Which towns might be more Conservative than others. I think Leominster has green councillors now. 

And maybe a brief description of the major settlements and something about the economy of the seat beyond the very basic assertion that it is "rural". Contrary to the impression given there is considerable diversity in the constituency.

It’s one of the ( very) few seats where the Liberals got very close in pre Lib Dem days, but never won either then or in the 1997-2010 Lib Dem peak. When the Lib Dem’s were winning surrounding Hereford, Ludlow, Brecon, Montgomery in that period, why didn’t they get closer here- makes me wonder whether the good vote in the 1970s was a personal vote?

[John Chanin]

Oct 11, 2020 17:48:10 GMT @europeanlefty said:

Jul 17, 2020 6:28:04 GMT John Chanin said:

This list is at mid-July.  I will edit it if and when more profiles are produced

Herefordshire
North Herefordshire is a bit light

What does "a bit light" mean? What more is needed?

It’s very short.  It tells us that there are 2 small towns, and describes one of them, but says little else about the seat.  It gives a brief account of political history, but doesn’t give any indication of where parties have strength.  It focuses on Green performance, which is what interests greenhert understandably.  He did a number of short profiles at the beginning of the exercise like this.  There is nothing wrong with them, but readers would benefit from more detail. 

[Richard Allen]

Oct 11, 2020 19:00:16 GMT andrewp said:

Oct 11, 2020 18:36:52 GMT Richard Allen said:

And maybe a brief description of the major settlements and something about the economy of the seat beyond the very basic assertion that it is "rural". Contrary to the impression given there is considerable diversity in the constituency.

It’s one of the ( very) few seats where the Liberals got very close in pre Lib Dem days, but never won either then or in the 1997-2010 Lib Dem peak. When the Lib Dem’s were winning surrounding Hereford, Ludlow, Brecon, Montgomery in that period, why didn’t they get closer here- makes me wonder whether the good vote in the 1970s was a personal vote?

I don't know whether or not the 70s vote was personal but this seat does have a very different feel to the others you mention. None of the major towns have a significant "alternative lifestyle" culture that is found in many of the seats you mention. Much of the seat is more traditional English countryside rather than typical Welsh Marches territory. There are certainly pockets of liberal strength, especially near the border, as you would expect in this part of the world but unlike its neighbours to the North, West and South those pockets have never been large enough to form a strong base to challenge for victory.

[Deleted]

Oct 11, 2020 19:00:16 GMT andrewp said:

Oct 11, 2020 18:36:52 GMT Richard Allen said:

And maybe a brief description of the major settlements and something about the economy of the seat beyond the very basic assertion that it is "rural". Contrary to the impression given there is considerable diversity in the constituency.

It’s one of the ( very) few seats where the Liberals got very close in pre Lib Dem days, but never won either then or in the 1997-2010 Lib Dem peak. When the Lib Dem’s were winning surrounding Hereford, Ludlow, Brecon, Montgomery in that period, why didn’t they get closer here- makes me wonder whether the good vote in the 1970s was a personal vote?

The same candidate stood for the Liberal at every election from 1970 to 1983 inclusive and is the only Liberal to have come within 10% of winning since 1906, so yes, it would appear that he had a reasonably large personal vote. As Richard Allen says, there will probably be some Liberal support near the Welsh borders and some of the areas close to Malvern also have demographics that would favour them. There may also be some of what is often called "alternative" character due to the proximity of Malvern but I don't know the area well enough to comment

[Izzyeviel]

Oct 6, 2020 16:03:12 GMT iainbhx said:

I'll have a go at Wolvo NE, but it's been a while since I did anything more than pass through it at speed on the train, I get a chance to be rude about Renée Short and Maureen Hicks.

I have the misfortune of knowing this place very well. I can help you with it or take it of your hands if need be.

[iainbhx]

Oct 12, 2020 22:24:04 GMT Izzyeviel said:

Oct 6, 2020 16:03:12 GMT iainbhx said:

I'll have a go at Wolvo NE, but it's been a while since I did anything more than pass through it at speed on the train, I get a chance to be rude about Renée Short and Maureen Hicks.

I have the misfortune of knowing this place very well. I can help you with it or take it of your hands if need be.

I'll put some basics up on Sunday and you can have a laugh.

[John Chanin]

Although there has been a general loss of interest in this project I intend to complete the West Midlands by doing profiles for Stafford and Stone. I have however delayed this because of the mini lockdown, as we are not supposed to do non-essential travel, and I feel it is necessary for me to visit places before trying to write about them. In other words it is essential for the project, even if not essential in a wider context. I will therefore do these two profiles in December before Christmas.

[Deleted]

Nov 24, 2020 12:49:13 GMT John Chanin said:

Although there has been a general loss of interest in this project I intend to complete the West Midlands by doing profiles for Stafford and Stone. I have however delayed this because of the mini lockdown, as we are not supposed to do non-essential travel, and I feel it is necessary for me to visit places before trying to write about them. In other words it is essential for the project, even if not essential in a wider context. I will therefore do these two profiles in December before Christmas.

I'm nots sure it's loss of interest so much as lacking tie and running out of seats that are well known to people on the forum

[John Chanin]

Nov 24, 2020 12:49:13 GMT John Chanin said:

Although there has been a general loss of interest in this project I intend to complete the West Midlands by doing profiles for Stafford and Stone. I have however delayed this because of the mini lockdown, as we are not supposed to do non-essential travel, and I feel it is necessary for me to visit places before trying to write about them. In other words it is essential for the project, even if not essential in a wider context. I will therefore do these two profiles in December before Christmas.

Looks like it will be the new year now, unless we get another lockdown.  

[John Chanin]

Although I recognise that I can no longer get out of my car to walk around town centres etc as I did in the summer, doing these drives will now make me vulnerable to substantial fines should the police stop me under tier 4 regulations. I will have to decide whether to risk it later this month.