Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 15:58:59 GMT
Sadly necessary due to the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox.
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Post by Lord Twaddleford on Jun 17, 2016 16:07:50 GMT
And now it risks being turned into an utter farce should the other main parties follow through on their announcments that they won't participate (to which I will be gravely dissappointed if they do follow through). Tragic circumstances or not, the world still continues to turn and tumble through the cosmos, and in the spirit of good democratic practice this election really ought to be properly contested, even if from the outset the result does seem a foregone conclusion.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 16:09:03 GMT
And now it risks being turned into an utter farce should the other main parties follow through on their announcments that they won't participate (to which I will be gravely dissappointed if they do follow through). Tragic circumstances or not, the world still continues to turn and tumble through the cosmos, and in the spirit of good democratic practice this election really ought to be properly contested, even if from the outset the result does seem a foregone conclusion. Hear hear. |
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Jun 17, 2016 16:26:41 GMT
That won't bother at least some of them, I suspect.
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peterl
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Post by peterl on Jun 17, 2016 16:26:51 GMT
That would make it I believe the first uncontested Parliamentary by election since World Ward Two. Even during the war, some were contested. Uncontested seems unlikely to me. The attention that can be gathered from standing will no doubt attract one or two. And good for them I say. Democracy must take its course.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 16:35:25 GMT
A serious candidate arguing that the democratic process must go on could gain substantial traction. Margaret Thatcher in 1984, for example, gained a lot of respect when she went ahead with the Conservative conference even after she nearly lost her own life to that bomb in the Grand.
The idea of political parties standing aside has no precedent in this situation. It is completely absurd and I dare say Jo Cox herself would not have wanted it.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 16:40:42 GMT
A serious candidate arguing that the democratic process must go on could gain substantial traction. Margaret Thatcher in 1984, for example, gained a lot of respect when she went ahead with the Conservative conference even after she nearly lost her own life to that bomb in the Grand. The idea of political parties standing aside has no precedent in this situation. It is completely absurd and I dare say Jo Cox herself would not have wanted it. The danger if none of the main parties contest is A BNP/Britain First type candidate could stand potentially win say circa 10% maybe come second and get a lot of media coverage.Even if this doesn't occur i suspect some independents or Yorkshire First outfits will stand. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 17:00:47 GMT
A serious candidate arguing that the democratic process must go on could gain substantial traction. Margaret Thatcher in 1984, for example, gained a lot of respect when she went ahead with the Conservative conference even after she nearly lost her own life to that bomb in the Grand. The idea of political parties standing aside has no precedent in this situation. It is completely absurd and I dare say Jo Cox herself would not have wanted it. The danger if none of the main parties contest is A BNP/Britain First type candidate could stand potentially win say circa 10% maybe come second and get a lot of media coverage.Even if this doesn't occur i suspect some independents or Yorkshire First outfits will stand. I imagine in a straight fight the far right would get at least 20%. |
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Post by finsobruce on Jun 17, 2016 17:12:38 GMT
That would make it I believe the first uncontested Parliamentary by election since World Ward Two. Even during the war, some were contested. Uncontested seems unlikely to me. The attention that can be gathered from standing will no doubt attract one or two. And good for them I say. Democracy must take its course. Not quite. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh_by-election,_1954 |
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Post by greenchristian on Jun 17, 2016 17:24:38 GMT
The danger if none of the main parties contest is A BNP/Britain First type candidate could stand potentially win say circa 10% maybe come second and get a lot of media coverage.Even if this doesn't occur i suspect some independents or Yorkshire First outfits will stand. I imagine in a straight fight the far right would get at least 20%. Even if it turns out that the murderer was motivated by far right political views? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2016 9:05:06 GMT
If nobody stands agaisnt Labour, I will.
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right
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Post by right on Jun 18, 2016 9:29:36 GMT
That would make it I believe the first uncontested Parliamentary by election since World Ward Two. Even during the war, some were contested. Uncontested seems unlikely to me. The attention that can be gathered from standing will no doubt attract one or two. And good for them I say. Democracy must take its course. Not quite. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh_by-election,_1954 There was even one safe Labour seat uncontested straight after WWII but that was the last uncontested by-election on the mainland. Still continued in Northern Ireland until the 1950s and in Stormont for longer. When was the last uncontested General Election not involving the Speaker? |
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Jun 18, 2016 9:32:50 GMT
The Alliance Party and DUP also stood in Belfast South in 1982 - they were far more realistic challengers to the Ulster Unionists.
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right
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Post by right on Jun 18, 2016 9:54:17 GMT
Compare most of the Anglo Irish Agreement by-elections which were uncontested by the main parties with either lone Trots or a straw candidate and Haltemprice where there was a freak show. I suspect political culture has changed too much for an uncontested by-election.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2016 10:32:29 GMT
If nobody stands agaisnt Labour, I will. Really truly? Good on you, sir. What would be your party label? Independent Conservative? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2016 10:36:59 GMT
And now it risks being turned into an utter farce should the other main parties follow through on their announcments that they won't participate (to which I will be gravely dissappointed if they do follow through). Tragic circumstances or not, the world still continues to turn and tumble through the cosmos, and in the spirit of good democratic practice this election really ought to be properly contested, even if from the outset the result does seem a foregone conclusion. We didn't see the Lib Dems not contesting Eastbourne after Sinn Féin/IRA murdered Ian Gow. Likewise the SDLP in Belfast South after the murder of the Rev Robert Bradford, although it went rather less well for them at the by-election. I think that's a big factor, certainly. Labour are going to win this by-election barring some miracle, but it is in the interests of democracy that the voters are able to consider alternatives. |
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Yorkie
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Post by Yorkie on Jun 18, 2016 12:32:38 GMT
Very torn about this. Gut says in the interest of the democratic process someone should stand, but whoever that someone is would need to be very clear about their motives, otherwise they could come out of it very badly.
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Post by finsobruce on Jun 18, 2016 12:45:04 GMT
There was even one safe Labour seat uncontested straight after WWII but that was the last uncontested by-election on the mainland. Still continued in Northern Ireland until the 1950s and in Stormont for longer. When was the last uncontested General Election not involving the Speaker? Quite so : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemsworth_by-election,_1946 One of the constituencies where they used to say they "weighed the vote, not counted it". |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2016 12:46:26 GMT
If nobody stands agaisnt Labour, I will. Really truly? Good on you, sir. What would be your party label? Independent Conservative? Whig? If I were the only non-Lab option, couldnt see my £500 being at risk. |
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Post by greatkingrat on Jun 18, 2016 12:47:23 GMT
If nobody stands agaisnt Labour, I will. Really truly? Good on you, sir. What would be your party label? Independent Conservative? Not allowed any more. Would have to just be an independent or no description. |
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