Clacton

[Devonian]

Mike Smithson is joining those suggesting Boris throw his hat in the ring in Clacton

Today the local party is announcing the names of four people on the shortlist and the Sun reports this morning that one of them, the deputy leader of the council, David Simmonds, could be in with a good chance. The paper quotes what it describes as a “prominent Uxbridge Tory”:

“Boris is not at all a shoe-in and he’s got a real fight on his hands now. David Simmonds is very popular around here, and Uxbridge’s kind of guy. We don’t go in for flashy and we’ve never been interested in celebrated MPs…”

The Conservative party way is that the decision is in the hands of local party members who will vote. Simmonds has, it appears, been regarded as the heir apparent for years and there must be a chance that he’ll get it.

For Boris this would be a huge set-back and could make it harder if he sought another seat.

My view is that the Mayor should put his hat into the ring for the Clacton by-election.

www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2014/09/05/the-betting-favourite-for-next-con-leader-and-2nd-favourite-for-next-pm-is-in-danger-of-falling-at-the-first-fence/

Now that could just be a bit of spin from local Tories, say 'we'll be no pushover' before being a pushover, but its possible its not.

[Devonian]

Report in the Times today on the Tories low key approach to the by election

[Michael Gove] wrote to Conservative MPs this week to inform them that they will merely be "encouraged to assist" in the battle. Those fighting to hang on to marginal seats were told that requests for leave of absence would be met with a "sensitive" response.[...]

Senior Tories have decided not to waste too much time and money on the fight. "By-elections are expensive and we're clearly not going to spend a vast amount on this," one figure conceded.

www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article4197036.ece

[neilm]

I think the Conservatives might win.

[greenchristian]

The Greens are expecting to field a candidate here. Though we have yet to select.

[Devonian]

A lot of comment today about Matthew Parris' article today about a visit he made to Clacton and why the Tories shouldn't bother to seek the support of people living in Clacton


www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/article4198515.ece

Here are a few choice quotes

The pier and the Princes Theatre struggle gamely on. On September 14 they welcome Ken Dodd nd his Diamond Anniversary Happiness show[...]

[Y]ou can get a three-bedroom detached bungalow for £94,995

Shops tell you so much. Though at Burton's they are offering "Free shoes when you buy a suit! (from £99)", Lycra is the textile of choice [...]

When Tory canvassers describe as "good areas" [...] they mean good in both its senses. But for Labour canvassers their good areas are the bad areas. UKIP, if it prospers, will find the same. More and more, their hopes will lie in Lycra not Tweed.

Some of the Tory right want to drag the Conservative party the same way [...] But the truth is [...] You cannot look like a party for the resentful and still appeal to the cheerful. If you want to win Cambridge you may have to let go of Clacton.

From the train leaving Stratford [...] you can see Canary Wharf [...] You must turn your back on that if you want to go to Clacton. I don't, and the Tories shouldn't

[Deleted]

I sort of understand his point - however we must sell our vision to anyone who will listen, regardless of whether they wear lycra or a suit. Being rude and dismissive about an area, unless it is Liverpool, is not really on. We aren't UKIP or labour, we don't hate people who aren't like us. Or at least we shouldn't.

The truth is our attitude and policies should come from Canary Wharf not that our targets should be representative of that area.

Yes, we are a market liberal party. Perhaps the people of Clacton want a isolationist reactionary social conservative - but we should try to convince people that we are right and not be happy with an ever shrinking number of rural southern bastions. At the end of the day, I am sure there are people in Clacton who are aspirational, and that is something that UKIP and labour don't really address or encourage (they would rather you were angry and jealous respectively) and we are the party of aspiration. People who want to be the most successful they can be vote for us. People who make the most of the talents they have. Nobody can take that away from us as long as we don't turn back on our vision.

Parris is an awful hateful snob. Just because he is successful and wealthy doesn't mean he should sneer at those who are not. A real Conservative would never do that. A real Conservative would want the best for Clacton and see its potential. Parris' hate is thoroughly un-Conservative. Post ukip breakthrough we are the nice party. The only party who doesn't have a vested interest in people being kept in their place.

[thirdchill]

It sounds like a typical sneering metropolitan view. I have little time for that sort of view, in the same way I have little time for the metropolitan champagne socialist.

[Devonian]

Sept 6, 2014 15:39:56 GMT joe said:

Parris is an awful hateful snob.

Parris also mentions that people in Clacton watch Bee Gees tribute acts and eat meat pies. Oh the humanity!

What Parris seems to forget is that without the support of working class conservatives that the Tory party wouldn't have more than a handful of seats in the House of Commons (probably all around the West End of London) and certainly would never have achieved a single majority government after 1868.

[East Anglian Lefty]

I think Parris' opinions would find more support in Clacton than Joe's - aspiration is worthless when it means nothing more than 'leave Clacton', and wishing isn't going to provide the things the town needs to improve.

And yes, Parris is being horrifically condescending, but let's be perfectly honest. Clacton gets relatively little outside condescension, because most of the time the rest of the world pretends it wouldn't exist. Meantime the 'good' areas and people of Clacton have no shortage of condescension for the rest of the town. Metropolitan tossers will have plenty of spleen to spare for the poorer bits of the south when they deign to notice their existence, but it isn't all sunshine and smiles the rest of the time.

Incidentally, Clacton pier is lovely and well worth the visit.

[Sibboleth]

Yes, few people enjoy the gleeful dismissal of provincial towns as much as the richer people that live in them.

[thirdchill]

Sept 6, 2014 16:07:24 GMT Devonian said:

Sept 6, 2014 15:39:56 GMT joe said:

Parris is an awful hateful snob.

Parris also mentions that people in Clacton watch Bee Gees tribute acts and eat meat pies. Oh the humanity!

What Parris seems to forget is that without the support of working class conservatives that the Tory party wouldn't have more than a handful of seats in the House of Commons (probably all around the West End of London) and certainly would never have achieved a single majority government after 1868.

And the same is true for labour (in reverse). Labour may well have been built up as a party of the working man but it would probably have never formed majorities in any election without at least a significant base of well educated, middle class supporters.

[thirdchill]

Sept 6, 2014 17:07:11 GMT East Anglian Lefty said:

Clacton gets relatively little outside condescension, because most of the time the rest of the world pretends it wouldn't exist.

Replace Clacton in your sentence with any number of small towns around the country (or Northern Ireland as a whole) and that statement is still correct.

[Merseymike]

Sept 6, 2014 20:49:17 GMT thirdchill said:

Sept 6, 2014 16:07:24 GMT Devonian said:

Parris also mentions that people in Clacton watch Bee Gees tribute acts and eat meat pies. Oh the humanity!

What Parris seems to forget is that without the support of working class conservatives that the Tory party wouldn't have more than a handful of seats in the House of Commons (probably all around the West End of London) and certainly would never have achieved a single majority government after 1868.

And the same is true for labour (in reverse). Labour may well have been built up as a party of the working man but it would probably have never formed majorities in any election without at least a significant base of well educated, middle class supporters.

Fabian socialism was always middle class. And Labour's current support is strong amongst public and voluntary sector professionals

[greenchristian]

Sept 6, 2014 17:07:11 GMT East Anglian Lefty said:

Incidentally, Clacton pier is lovely and well worth the visit.

I recall not being particularly impressed as a child. But maybe I just preferred the funfair that was on Walton pier.

[Sibboleth]

Electoral coalitions are complex enough (even comparatively simple ones) that people tend to read out of them whatever they feel like, to the extent that thats possible. They were also no simpler in the past. People always vote as individuals even if they do also have collective identities and interests.

[Devonian]

An account of UKIP  canvassing on the ukipdaily.com site

On Saturday morning, around 100 activists gathered in and around the new UKIP Clacton HQ, in Station Road, just 100 yards from the station and 100 yards from the Tory Party HQ, for the “Grand Opening”. Some local press were present, but the activists gave a rousing welcome to Stuart Agnew MEP who cut the ribbon. He produced a letter that Douglas had written to him at the start of the long process of Douglas considering jumping ship, nicely handwritten on House of Commons headed notepaper.

Douglas also got a rousing welcome for his brief speech, where he said how gratified by the warmth with which he (and his wife) had been received into UKIP, both locally and nationally. He also said we must be respectful to people with opposing views. And, all the while, cars driving by were honking their horns with people sticking their upped thumbs out of the window.

Then, we all got our marching orders from Darryl Pitcher, Lisa Duffy’s assistant, mostly for some basic canvassing – i.e. determining voter intentions. I ended up as leader of a team and four of us bundled into my car, David from my own branch, Geoff from North Norfolk, and Marion, a local recent “defector” from Labour, with two different types of leaflets, canvassing sheets and window posters.

We had about 500 houses to do in a modern estate a little over a mile from the station, some houses backing onto countryside. They were a mixed bag of some social housing rising up to “posh” four-bed detacheds, most of the latter with Chelsea Tractors outside them. What we found was astounding – 60-80% of the residents who opened the door were positive about UKIP, the odd waverer, but we gave them the ammunition to help them make the right decision. The enthusiasm to vote was astounding too, at least two-thirds of residents said they would be voting, so turnout could be high for a By Election. OK, there were the odd few Tory faithful who were displeased with Douglas’ defection, but they were very much in the minority.

Frankly, I have never been on the receiving end of so much positive feedback from voters and it made me feel we had finally “arrived” – however, perhaps Clacton is exceptional, and we will have to work a lot harder for our votes elsewhere.

www.ukipdaily.com/clacton-week-2

[Devonian]

Alan Howlin “Laud ” Hope confirmed as the Official Monster Raving Loony candidate

We can confirm that Alan Howlin “Laud ” Hope will be standing as our candidate at the forthcoming by election.

“I am thrilled to be standing as a candidate for the constituents of Clacton, which brings back many happy memories of my times here in the past” said Alan ” When I win we will put Clacton – on – Sea back as one of the top tourist attractions, and we will start by trying to arrange for our party conference to be held here in 2015″

www.loonyparty.com/0315/4129/clacton-election-candidate/

[East Anglian Lefty]

Sept 6, 2014 23:10:40 GMT greenchristian said:

Sept 6, 2014 17:07:11 GMT East Anglian Lefty said:

Incidentally, Clacton pier is lovely and well worth the visit.

I recall not being particularly impressed as a child. But maybe I just preferred the funfair that was on Walton pier.

Oh, it's not going to be classed as a wonder of the world any time soon. But it's still pretty well-preserved and is very pleasant on a quiet day.

[seanf]

I canvassed for UKIP yesterday, in Great Holland. A mixture of average housing, well-heeled, and very posh. I'd estimate 55% were backing Carswell, some very enthusiastically.

Clacton didn't seem to me the basket case that Parris thinks it is. Much of it seemed rather smart to me, especially on the sea-front. ( St. Osyth and Jaywick are very poor though). I thought his article was horribly condescending. writing off the Clactons of this world seems like electoral suicide to me.

[East Anglian Lefty]

The poorest bits of Clacton are (Jaywick aside) generally away from the sea-front. I think you could probably call the local economy a basket case with only a slight degree of exaggeration, but that's only relevant for those people employed by the local economy.

Incidentally, which bit of St. Osyth do you mean? The village is fairly nice, although the caravan parks are obviously somewhat less desirable.