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Post by coolhandluke on Sept 10, 2014 14:21:33 GMT
They moved the writ today for 9th October. How crass of Labour. The Party better hope this doesn't backfire! |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2014 14:33:08 GMT
They moved the writ today for 9th October. How crass of Labour. The Party better hope this doesn't backfire! Is this the first time a writ has been moved before the funeral of the deceased MP? |
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Post by Tangent on Sept 10, 2014 14:39:10 GMT
The most recent example was Crewe & Nantwich in 2008: Gwyneth Dunwoody died on 17th April, the writ was moved on the 30th April, Dunwoody's funeral took place on the 8th May, and the by-election took place on the 22nd May.
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Post by independentukip on Sept 10, 2014 14:46:27 GMT
Presumably Mr Darren Cooper, Labour leader of Sandwell Council will be resigning from Labour in utter disgust at the actions of his party.
After the death of Bob Jones he is quoted as saying, “We lost Bob less than a week ago. This is grossly insensitive to Bob’s family who are in shock and mourning. It is political opportunism of the worst kind. It gives us very little time to deal with an unprecedented situation, not to mention come to terms with the loss of a well-respected, devoted public servant whom we all miss very dearly.”
OK the death of an MP is not unprecedented but the situation isn't much different fundamentally.
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Post by East Anglian Lefty on Sept 10, 2014 15:01:46 GMT
Presumably Mr Darren Cooper, Labour leader of Sandwell Council will be resigning from Labour in utter disgust at the actions of his party. After the death of Bob Jones he is quoted as saying, “We lost Bob less than a week ago. This is grossly insensitive to Bob’s family who are in shock and mourning. It is political opportunism of the worst kind. It gives us very little time to deal with an unprecedented situation, not to mention come to terms with the loss of a well-respected, devoted public servant whom we all miss very dearly.” OK the death of an MP is not unprecedented but the situation isn't much different fundamentally. Had you been paying attention, rather than looking for a cheap jab, you might have noticed that Dobbin's family have already been asked whether they were happy for the writ to be moved. So the situation is fundamentally different. |
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Sept 10, 2014 15:06:07 GMT
In the case of Parliamentary byelections, things have moved on because the government has just lengthened the overall timetable for byelection campaigns by more than a week. Formally starting the byelection need not mean subjecting the constituency to campaigning before the funeral of the late MP.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2014 15:08:42 GMT
In the case of Parliamentary byelections, things have moved on because the government has just lengthened the overall timetable for byelection campaigns by more than a week. Formally starting the byelection need not mean subjecting the constituency to campaigning before the funeral of the late MP. But couldn't that be taken as you want 1 less week of campaigning? |
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Post by Devil Wincarnate on Sept 10, 2014 16:09:32 GMT
The most recent example was Crewe & Nantwich in 2008: Gwyneth Dunwoody died on 17th April, the writ was moved on the 30th April, Dunwoody's funeral took place on the 8th May, and the by-election took place on the 22nd May. We all know why that was... |
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Post by thirdchill on Sept 10, 2014 17:21:43 GMT
Can't see this going UKIP in a million years, sounds very much like spin. Labour hold with reduced majority. Can't see it going UKIP either, although it's more likely than Rochdale (unfortunately). UKIP put in a strong performance locally in Middleton and didn't do too badly in Heywood either (even though they won no wards). A strong second place would be good for UKIP. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2014 18:29:35 GMT
The most recent example was Crewe & Nantwich in 2008: Gwyneth Dunwoody died on 17th April, the writ was moved on the 30th April, Dunwoody's funeral took place on the 8th May, and the by-election took place on the 22nd May. We all know why that was... In the circumstances of the time, the Conservatives would probably have taken Heywood and Middleton then. IIRC we topped the poll in the local elections that year. |
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Post by Devonian on Sept 10, 2014 19:34:40 GMT
To speculate as to who the UKIP by election candidate might be. I don't know if UKIP have a strong local candidate from the constituency itself but if they don't then I think they could do a lot worse than have Steve Woolfe as the candidate. He's not from Rochdale itself but he is from Manchester and as an MEP for the area he does already have some media profile which can't hurt, especially with such a short by election period. Also he does come across as one of the more impressive of UKIP's new MEP intake, that's my impression anyway.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2014 19:44:09 GMT
To speculate as to who the UKIP by election candidate might be. I don't know if UKIP have a strong local candidate from the constituency itself but if they don't then I think they could do a lot worse than have Steve Woolfe as the candidate. He's not from Rochdale itself but he is from Manchester and as an MEP for the area he does already have some media profile which can't hurt, especially with such a short by election period. Also he does come across as one of the more impressive of UKIP's new MEP intake, that's my impression anyway. Will we be hearing from Chris Cassidy? Wythenshawe's not that far away. |
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Post by Andrew_S on Sept 10, 2014 20:27:33 GMT
UKIP came close to winning two of the wards in this year's local elections: North Middleton: Lab 851, UKIP 779, Con 273, Ind 129, LD 55 democracy.rochdale.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=89&RPID=1821391West Heywood: Lab 1029, UKIP 1006, Con 248, LD 97 democracy.rochdale.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=94&RPID=1821398They had a fairly good result in two other wards in the constituency: East Middleton: Lab 1092, UKIP 749, Con 365, LD 112 democracy.rochdale.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=80&RPID=1821422West Middleton: Lab 1167, UKIP 855, Con 174, LD 126 democracy.rochdale.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=95&RPID=1821429UKIP didn't contest Bamford or Castleton. Bamford is the Tory stronghold in the constituency. |
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andrea
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Post by andrea on Sept 10, 2014 20:49:13 GMT
LibDem Anthony Smith has just tweeted he has been selected as Heywood and Middleton PPC for 2015 GE.
I am not sure how this selection relates to who their byelection candidate will be. If he is not mad, I can't see any reason to change candidate for next month's contest.
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Post by Devil Wincarnate on Sept 10, 2014 21:30:24 GMT
We all know why that was... In the circumstances of the time, the Conservatives would probably have taken Heywood and Middleton then. IIRC we topped the poll in the local elections that year. You're right, but I was hinting more at who the Labour candidate was. |
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neilm
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Post by neilm on Sept 11, 2014 0:11:43 GMT
In the case of Parliamentary byelections, things have moved on because the government has just lengthened the overall timetable for byelection campaigns by more than a week. Formally starting the byelection need not mean subjecting the constituency to campaigning before the funeral of the late MP. Back in the day, or course, the Lib Dems would have been leafleting already. |
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Post by Andrew_S on Sept 11, 2014 0:55:12 GMT
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maxque
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Post by maxque on Sept 11, 2014 4:32:47 GMT
In real words: UKIP doesn't like the by-election date. |
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Post by Devonian on Sept 11, 2014 6:11:28 GMT
In real words: UKIP doesn't like the by-election date. Well it does seem a bit tacky to announce the by election date before the date of the funeral. |
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Post by Devil Wincarnate on Sept 11, 2014 8:00:18 GMT
A bit of narrative here as I know the area a bit.
Although it's likely to remain fairly safe Labour, Heywood in particular is changing quickly as house prices in places like Prestwich and Whitefield push people further out. I used to go up there quite a bit, and from being grotty and run-down in the late 2000s, it's suddenly acquired lots of new housing, new shops, and the odd new bar. If, as expected, Heywood is reconnected to the mainline railway network within the next decade, the demographics of the place will change further.
Middleton is equally down-at-heel but has a surprising amount of old money floating around, doubtless linked to the long-vanished mills.
The area contains two of Greater Manchester's more desperate estates, Langley and Darnhill, which represent the worst of the old town planning credo of dumping people in the middle of nowhere wth no jobs and then being surprised that it doesn't work out.
So for now, Labour hold for me, with strong UKIP challenge. The key thing is- will the UKIP vote end up swallowing the anti-Labour vote, or will it also attract angry Labour voters, and in sufficient quantities to storm the citadel?
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