By-elections 4th/5th December

[Devonian]

Douglas Carswell in Aveley

[carlton43]

Good to see a serious campaign by a seasoned campaigner and to see how rattled the Conservatives are.

[Devonian]

The Aveley by election has hit the national headlines


www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/dec/02/tories-ukip-byelection-thurrock-tim-aker-timur-cheap


www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/11265911/Calling-Ukip-candidate-by-Turkish-name-did-him-a-favour-says-Tory-MP-over-controversial-campaign-leaflet.html

Tim Aker, who is also an MEP for the southeast and Ukip's Policy Unit chief, is quoted in the Guardian giving his reaction to the leaflet:

I think they are just getting desperate. They will find anything. It is incredibly cheap of them. But freedom of speech is what it is and the public will judge them on it.

I am not calling on them to stop using the leaflet. They can carry on doing what they do. I am not going to try and stifle their rights to freedom of speech. But they have got to bear the responsibility for it.

Aker, whose father is Turkish, began to shorten his name to "Tim" when he was at school. His name is very rarely written in full, which is why it is thought to be a pointed move by the Tories on their campaign literature. However, Doyle-Price told the Telegraph that she does not consider this a "big deal". Although she admitted it was "childish", she said:

Frankly, I don't consider this a big deal at all . . .

If I'm honest with you I think by referring to his Turkish heritage we've actually given him credibility because frankly having roots from overseas is nothing to be ashamed of. Actually they are something to be proud of.

What we've done is actually broadcast the fact that Tim is just as much a citizen with diverse roots as anybody else in this country. It's probably going to do him a favour.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/12/its-sad-theyve-sunk-such-depths-tories-use-ukip-candidates-turkish-name-leaflet

[john07]

Dec 1, 2014 7:18:29 GMT maxque said:

And, again from Andrew Teale's website, the missing results for Adur.

2008: Con 514, Grn 212, Lab 136, LD 99, UKIP 73
2006: Con 473, Grn 203, LD 168, Lab 159
2004: Con 560/503, Lab 454/434

The by-election is for the 2014-2018 term. TV host Mike Mendoza (previously on radio on Talksport, covering the 1AM-6AM timeslot on weekends, before being fired soon after having compared gay people to pedophiles) and now hosting a show on Latest TV, a local Brighton and Hove TV channel.

He already did that. He was elected as an independent in 2004 and resigned in 2005 when hired by Talksport. His election history is wierd. Elected in Brighton and Hove, he became a Conservative council for Peverel in 2002, became an independent, was elected as an independent in Marine in 2004 (all-out election), resigned in 2005, ran for UKIP for County Council in 2009, elected as a Conservative for St. Mary's in 2010, relected in 2014.

It's a very confusing path.

Not that confusing. He worked for Talksport therefore is is an arsehold. QED.

[Devonian]

Here is the leaflet in question




Notice the images placed near Aker's name.

[maxque]

That's an afwul leaflet. The left part is about Labour supporting evil terrorists, the right part is about UKIP presenting an evil Turkish MEP and the bottom part about Labour supporting evil Travellers.

Someone here said than Labour was the "party of envy", well, that leaflet make it looks like Conservatives are the "party of hatred". Honestly, I think than this kind of leaflet is the thing that makes people stopping voting and than this trend must be stopped. I hope they will get deafeated solidly, so they go to another, non-sickening strategy.

[Ben Walker]

The leaflet is akin to something the BNP used to do back in their heyday, and that's not me invoking some tame version of Godwin's law. 'Bogus asylum seekers' just sounds so 'them'.

[Sibboleth]

That's so hammishly Atwateresque that I almost love it.

[Devonian]

Dec 3, 2014 19:02:35 GMT Ben Walker said:

The leaflet is akin to something the BNP used to do back in their heyday, and that's not me invoking some tame version of Godwin's law. 'Bogus asylum seekers' just sounds so 'them'.

The funniest bit of the leaflet is where Aker is criticised for living in Grays. I had to look up how far Grays is from Aveley, its five miles and 15 minutes drive away. What is that trying to say "you don't want that Timur Aker, he's not from round here, he's from that there Grays!"

[Deleted]

That leaflet looks to me as though some amateur within the Conservatives has woken up going "If the voters want race-hate, I can do race-hate! This is how you do race-hate!"

[thirdchill]

With this and other leaflets that somehow end up on the doorsteps and end up saying some ridiculous things, one question:

Does anyone actually check these these leaflets and say 'Yes that's okay' or 'I think you should take this bit out of the leaflet' or even 'This is a pile of rubbish'?

[finsobruce]

Dec 3, 2014 20:26:38 GMT thirdchill said:

With this and other leaflets that somehow end up on the doorsteps and end up saying some ridiculous things, one question:

Does anyone actually check these these leaflets and say 'Yes that's okay' or 'I think you should take this bit out of the leaflet' or even 'This is a pile of rubbish'?

Two scenarios:

1. No

2. Yes. "Looks great doesn't it" - "Yeah fantastic really sticks it to them" - "brilliant idea!". (all thinking at same time - mmm not sure about that, best keep quiet don't want to be seen as a wet blanket. I'll say it wasn't my idea afterwards when we've lost)

[Devil Wincarnate]

Dec 3, 2014 20:26:38 GMT thirdchill said:

With this and other leaflets that somehow end up on the doorsteps and end up saying some ridiculous things, one question:

Does anyone actually check these these leaflets and say 'Yes that's okay' or 'I think you should take this bit out of the leaflet' or even 'This is a pile of rubbish'?

If it's anything like my past experiences, you can find out that your leaflets are printed with someone else's message before you're even told what the leaflet will contain.  I'm astounded at how little respect some people in associations have for their activists.

That leaflet is frankly a disagrace.  I've never, ever seen any party put something like that through my door or into my hand to deliver.  Sadly for the Conservatives in that ward, they deserve to lose if they are willing to put out something that is not only so utterly crass, but plays the man not the ball.  And now that it's out in the national news, it reflects badly on thousands of Tory activists who would have no truck with it whatsoever.

[john07]

Dec 3, 2014 22:13:46 GMT Devil Wincarnate said:

Dec 3, 2014 20:26:38 GMT thirdchill said:

With this and other leaflets that somehow end up on the doorsteps and end up saying some ridiculous things, one question:

Does anyone actually check these these leaflets and say 'Yes that's okay' or 'I think you should take this bit out of the leaflet' or even 'This is a pile of rubbish'?

If it's anything like my past experiences, you can find out that your leaflets are printed with someone else's message before you're even told what the leaflet will contain.  I'm astounded at how little respect some people in associations have for their activists.

That leaflet is frankly a disagrace.  I've never, ever seen any party put something like that through my door or into my hand to deliver.  Sadly for the Conservatives in that ward, they deserve to lose if they are willing to put out something that is not only so utterly crass, but plays the man not the ball.  And now that it's out in the national news, it reflects badly on thousands of Tory activists who would have no truck with it whatsoever.

My favourite was a leaflet put out by the Conservatives in Ardwick Constituency in February 1974. It was written in Urdu by a Conservative supporter and was targeted at the Pakistani community. They only found out after the election that the leaflet more or less said:
"Don't vote for Kaufman, he is a snivelling Jew". Much embarrassment for all concerned with distribution.

I found this out from a pal who was a member of Ardwick Conservative Party and who was horrified but hoped it would never get out.

[marksenior]

The Conservatives are no strangers to leaflets with inaccuracies and defamation , remember the Cheadle by election in 2005 which had a leaflet so bad that many activists refused to deliver it .

[East Anglian Lefty]

Dec 3, 2014 19:22:39 GMT Devonian said:

Dec 3, 2014 19:02:35 GMT Ben Walker said:

The leaflet is akin to something the BNP used to do back in their heyday, and that's not me invoking some tame version of Godwin's law. 'Bogus asylum seekers' just sounds so 'them'.

The funniest bit of the leaflet is where Aker is criticised for living in Grays. I had to look up how far Grays is from Aveley, its five miles and 15 minutes drive away. What is that trying to say "you don't want that Timur Aker, he's not from round here, he's from that there Grays!"

Complaining that a candidate from an opposing party doesn't live in the ward is par for the course in local elections. Dislike of outsiders can be much more parochial than on a national level.

[maxque]

Dec 3, 2014 22:13:46 GMT Devil Wincarnate said:

Dec 3, 2014 20:26:38 GMT thirdchill said:

With this and other leaflets that somehow end up on the doorsteps and end up saying some ridiculous things, one question:

Does anyone actually check these these leaflets and say 'Yes that's okay' or 'I think you should take this bit out of the leaflet' or even 'This is a pile of rubbish'?

If it's anything like my past experiences, you can find out that your leaflets are printed with someone else's message before you're even told what the leaflet will contain.  I'm astounded at how little respect some people in associations have for their activists.

That leaflet is frankly a disagrace.  I've never, ever seen any party put something like that through my door or into my hand to deliver.  Sadly for the Conservatives in that ward, they deserve to lose if they are willing to put out something that is not only so utterly crass, but plays the man not the ball.  And now that it's out in the national news, it reflects badly on thousands of Tory activists who would have no truck with it whatsoever.

Could activists decline to deliver it without being bothered by the party?

[Pimpernal]

Dec 3, 2014 23:42:24 GMT East Anglian Lefty said:

Dec 3, 2014 19:22:39 GMT Devonian said:

The funniest bit of the leaflet is where Aker is criticised for living in Grays. I had to look up how far Grays is from Aveley, its five miles and 15 minutes drive away. What is that trying to say "you don't want that Timur Aker, he's not from round here, he's from that there Grays!"

Complaining that a candidate from an opposing party doesn't live in the ward is par for the course in local elections. Dislike of outsiders can be much more parochial than on a national level.

This sort of hypocrisy was give a stunning boost in the Sheppey byelection recently. The husband of one of the candidates spent lots of time telling anyone who would listen and tweeting it repeatedly, that the UKIP candidate didn't live in the ward... No - the UKIP candidate actually lived in the ward represented by the said husband who himself represents a ward he doesn't live in...

[Devil Wincarnate]

Dec 4, 2014 3:22:31 GMT maxque said:

Dec 3, 2014 22:13:46 GMT Devil Wincarnate said:

If it's anything like my past experiences, you can find out that your leaflets are printed with someone else's message before you're even told what the leaflet will contain.  I'm astounded at how little respect some people in associations have for their activists.

That leaflet is frankly a disagrace.  I've never, ever seen any party put something like that through my door or into my hand to deliver.  Sadly for the Conservatives in that ward, they deserve to lose if they are willing to put out something that is not only so utterly crass, but plays the man not the ball.  And now that it's out in the national news, it reflects badly on thousands of Tory activists who would have no truck with it whatsoever.

Could activists decline to deliver it without being bothered by the party?

I presume so- after all,it's all voluntary. I'd be even more narked if they tried to take action! Mr Senior might know more in the context of Cheadle.

[maxque]

Dec 4, 2014 8:46:38 GMT Devil Wincarnate said:

Dec 4, 2014 3:22:31 GMT maxque said:

Could activists decline to deliver it without being bothered by the party?

I presume so- after all,it's all voluntary. I'd be even more narked if they tried to take action! Mr Senior might know more in the context of Cheadle.

Well, it would be logical, but logic doesn't always prevail in heat of a campaign.