My Election Campaign

First topic message reminder :

Earlier I mentioned on here that I was standing as a candidate for the Labour Party in the upcoming local elections happening on May 7th. I have been part of the Labour Party since I was 17 and this is my first time standing as a candidate. It has been an interesting experience so far. Being a disabled(I have Cerebral Palsy) candidate adds an extra challenge for me to overcome in terms of getting to some places which are not wheelchair friendly.

Some of you on here mentioned that you would like me to start a thread about my experiences and the situation as I have found it while campaigning. In my Area we have a Tory MP(elected in 2010) and a Tory controlled City and County Council. So far the issues which have come up most while canvassing the electorate are:

1. Immigration(UKIP links to this heavily)
2. economy(Labour's perceived weakness)
3. NHS
4. Lots of Ex Tory voters have said to me they will not vote for the current Tory Party as they have gone too far left with things such as gay marriage and letting too many foreigners in.
5. people in the area can never get hold of their City Councillor as he spends most of his time in the USA.


I am out canvassing again this Saturday and will continue to update you on how things are progressing!!

Rowley wrote:

wheelchair1991 wrote:I thought it was a clever move talking to brand

I agree, young people as a rule don't vote in great numbers, they are far more likely to be encouraged to buck that trend if it is Brand asking rather than Miliband. Can interpret it as needy if you want but this is a close election, a few extra thousands votes in the right seats can make a difference. I'll go on record as saying I think Brand is a clown, a bad actor and unfunny comedian in his day job and a spouter of sub Citizen Smith sixth form drivel in his newly politicised spokesperson role, but as Truss has said lots of people disagree.

Someone who advocates NOT voting is more likley to get disenfranchised youth TO vote??

In all fairness to Brand I believe he has retracted the not voting comment.

If you want to be prime minister you've got to engage everyone because youre going to be responsible for everyone. Cameron cried when he talked about the union now he's alienating the scots, the kids don't vote for tories usually so he's ignoring them too. He's not been willing to lay out the welfare cuts because he knows he's got a lot to lose. Miliband might be a gormless pillock, but he's the one at least willing to be questioned on tv, on radio even by brand and all Cameron has done is agree with personal attacks on Miliband that he hasn't had the guts to make himself. Even Boris made a fool of himself and he's usually adept at straddling the line between endearing and moronic. Mcvey, IDS, Gove have all bottled interviews over the past few days. It's likely the tories will be in power again but they've run such a cowardly campaign its a miracle that they should.

Rowley wrote:In all fairness to Brand I believe he has retracted the not voting comment.

Only post the Ed interview. Complete BS.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Rowley wrote:In all fairness to Brand I believe he has retracted the not voting comment.

Only post the  Ed interview. Complete BS.

No defender of Brand (or jeff for that matter - the pr1ck), but people should be allowed to change their mind and admit they were wrong.

The political scene in this country would be a lot healthier if this was generally accepted instead of the adversarial, dogmatic, media driven approach that has become the norm. Running a country is bloody difficult and if people didn't make massive bastarding mistakes every now and again, I'd start to fear that the machines had taken over.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Rowley wrote:In all fairness to Brand I believe he has retracted the not voting comment.

Only post the  Ed interview. Complete BS.

So Ed has met with someone who has the ear of the younger generation and has persuaded him that he should encourage that generation to vote. Surely the meeting has to be considered a success then, particularly as you are someone who has previously stated voting should be mandatory.

ShahenshahG wrote:If you want to be prime minister you've got to engage everyone because youre going to be responsible for everyone. Cameron cried when he talked about the union now he's alienating the scots, the kids don't vote for tories usually so he's ignoring them too. He's not been willing to lay out the welfare cuts because he knows he's got a lot to lose. Miliband might be a gormless pillock, but he's the one at least willing to be questioned on tv, on radio even by brand and all Cameron has done is agree with personal attacks on Miliband that he hasn't had the guts to make himself. Even Boris made a fool of himself and he's usually adept at straddling the line between endearing and moronic. Mcvey, IDS, Gove have all bottled interviews over the past few days. It's likely the tories will be in power again but they've run such a cowardly campaign its a miracle that they should.

It's Mayweather-esque in it's chickenshit-ery

superflyweight wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Rowley wrote:In all fairness to Brand I believe he has retracted the not voting comment.

Only post the  Ed interview. Complete BS.

No defender of Brand (or jeff for that matter - the pr1ck), but people should be allowed to change their mind and admit they were wrong.  

The political scene in this country would be a lot healthier if this was generally accepted instead of the adversarial, dogmatic, media driven approach that has become the norm.  Running a country is bloody difficult and if people didn't make massive bastarding mistakes every now and again, I'd start to fear that the machines had taken over.  

I actually agree, which is why I never bought into Truss' 'u-turn' BS.

But Brand is a twit and this latest charade doesn't suggest someone who's come round to a new train of thinking, just an attention-seeking hypocrite finding another way to stay in the papers.

Rowley wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Rowley wrote:In all fairness to Brand I believe he has retracted the not voting comment.

Only post the  Ed interview. Complete BS.

So Ed has met with someone who has the ear of the younger generation and has persuaded him that he should encourage that generation to vote. Surely the meeting has to be considered a success then, particularly as you are someone who has previously stated voting should be mandatory.

Brand has done what Brand has chosen to do. Don't think Ed had anything to do with it.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

superflyweight wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Rowley wrote:In all fairness to Brand I believe he has retracted the not voting comment.

Only post the  Ed interview. Complete BS.

No defender of Brand (or jeff for that matter - the pr1ck), but people should be allowed to change their mind and admit they were wrong.  

The political scene in this country would be a lot healthier if this was generally accepted instead of the adversarial, dogmatic, media driven approach that has become the norm.  Running a country is bloody difficult and if people didn't make massive bastarding mistakes every now and again, I'd start to fear that the machines had taken over.  

I actually agree, which is why I never bought into Truss'  'u-turn' BS.

But Brand is a twit and this latest charade doesn't suggest someone who's come round to a new train of thinking, just an attention-seeking hypocrite finding another way to stay in the papers.

You're both talking bollox..................

...........When your hold agenda is to call a Miliband weak leader...........and you have nearly 50 U-turns most attributed to the Sun newspaper getting shirty and a lack of ideology...........

It's right to call you out on YOUR weak leadership and U-turns become revealing and relevant..

Think If the Tories scape over the line a clearout of crap will be needed.....

Starting with Grant Schapps..........

The guy is a walking Labour vote..

Rowley wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Rowley wrote:In all fairness to Brand I believe he has retracted the not voting comment.

Only post the  Ed interview. Complete BS.

So Ed has met with someone who has the ear of the younger generation and has persuaded him that he should encourage that generation to vote. Surely the meeting has to be considered a success then, particularly as you are someone who has previously stated voting should be mandatory.

If the ear of the younger generation were previously persuaded by the spineless hypocrite that is Brand, then this meeting might have happened a little too late, given how the voting registration deadline passed a couple of weeks ago.

When seats may change hands on as little as a couple of hundred votes........

Invigorating a disgruntled kid who idolises Brand to make the trip could be really important.......

If the Green's had a better leader they could have turned up a few trees in this election........

When your mate Nige came out with the HIV stuff he blew any chance of a seismic shift away..

The Greens?!

Have you seen their manifesto? Increase foreign aid, open border to absolutely everyone, ban horse racing, money to this, that and the other (no realistic idea where it is coming from, mind you!).

Oh and create a million jobs - that's not enough over a five year parliament!

The Greens are an absolute joke of a party.

UKIP are doing as well as they possibly can, and are clearly suffering a huge injustice under the democratically bankrupt FPTP system - just like the Lib Dems have in the past. There was no chance of a seismic shift without proportional representation.

When me old mucker, Nige, came out with the health tourism claims, backed up with evidence, nothing has really changed in the polls - UKIP have always fluctuated between 13 and 18 percent.

Politics is about perception always has been.......always will be...........

If the people think you're on their side a sizeable amount will forgive you most things.........

If spelman had fronted Green instead of Bennett................I have no doubts the peed off and disenfranchised may have rallied round the Greens..........

They say that people generally become more right-wing as they become older. F*ck knows where Duty will end up?

Although there is the possibility that he becomes like Widmerpool in a Dance to the Music of Time, becomes a communist in his old age, lives in a commune and finally perishes on a naked morning run as he tries to achieve transcendence - all the while driven by his inadequacies as a teenager.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

superflyweight wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Rowley wrote:In all fairness to Brand I believe he has retracted the not voting comment.

Only post the  Ed interview. Complete BS.

No defender of Brand (or jeff for that matter - the pr1ck), but people should be allowed to change their mind and admit they were wrong.  

The political scene in this country would be a lot healthier if this was generally accepted instead of the adversarial, dogmatic, media driven approach that has become the norm.  Running a country is bloody difficult and if people didn't make massive bastarding mistakes every now and again, I'd start to fear that the machines had taken over.  

I actually agree, which is why I never bought into Truss'  'u-turn' BS.

But Brand is a twit and this latest charade doesn't suggest someone who's come round to a new train of thinking, just an attention-seeking hypocrite finding another way to stay in the papers.

You are both right IMO.

In principle I have nothing against someone being grown up and changing his mind. Heck if you don't change your mind in the face of changing evidence and circumstances then how is that a good thing?

In practice Brand is a numpty, so him changing his mind is unlikely to be a result of any kind of thoughtful process.

As for the election... I thought the conservatives were getting a genuine last week or so bounce, which would have given them maybe 15, even 20 or so seats more than Labour and made it very hard for Labour to claim any kind of legitimacy. What seems to have stopped that is ironically a child being born, which has taken some of the focus off the election just when the narrative seemed to be shifting the conservative way, and we are now pretty much at the "dead heat" scenario, maybe 5-10 more seats for the Conservatives but not sure that that is enough. And in truth although they and their friends in the media will try, I am not sure you can claim to "win" the election with such a tight margin.

It could be quite a lengthy negotiation this time around.

As a side note, where do UKIP find these wonderful candidates?

Changing your mind is one thing but doing it because of a sun newspaper is another....

That's weak..........

I can take Super's opinion but If it was Miliband's mind changing let's be honest.. Toppy would be sticking the boot in..

Breaking news If the Tories don't get a majority Grant Schapps will be sacked as party chairman...

He'll be replaced by Michael Green...

I see only a fuss is made about kicking candidates out when it's UKIP!

Still, intelligent people will be able to see right through the tactics of the media.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

I can take Super's opinion but If it was Miliband's mind changing let's be honest.. Toppy would be sticking the boot in..

Nope, because I achieve levels of consistency that you can only dream of.....

Perhaps..............

Anyway final prediction...........Anything changed your mind ??.........

I think the Tories will be fifteen short and form a coalition with Lib dems...

Final prediction - Tories short of a majority by ten after a late burst.

Either they will limp on with a minority government (leading to a 2016 election) OR, if UKIP can defy the polls once more, Farage will see them over the line.

UKIP to get at least five seats, Farage certainly included in that number.

The Liberal Democrats to collapse after Labour, surprisingly, take Sheffield Hallam, leaving Clegg without a seat.

Duty281 wrote:Final prediction - Tories short of a majority by ten after a late burst.

Either they will limp on with a minority government (leading to a 2016 election) OR, if UKIP can defy the polls once more, Farage will see them over the line.

UKIP to get at least five seats, Farage certainly included in that number.

The Liberal Democrats to collapse after Labour, surprisingly, take Sheffield Hallam, leaving Clegg without a seat.

UKIP to get ten seats................and Bernie Madoff to win the 2016 presidential election..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Final prediction - Tories short of a majority by ten after a late burst.

Either they will limp on with a minority government (leading to a 2016 election) OR, if UKIP can defy the polls once more, Farage will see them over the line.

UKIP to get at least five seats, Farage certainly included in that number.

The Liberal Democrats to collapse after Labour, surprisingly, take Sheffield Hallam, leaving Clegg without a seat.

UKIP to get ten seats................and Bernie Madoff to win the 2016 presidential election..

I hope you are scathing of UKIP's prospects, Truss.

After all, you said UKIP would probably finish 3rd in the European elections........and look what happened.

But I did predict the Titanic would hit an iceberg in a previous life...

Boringly I think the polls will probably be correct. The Conservatives will be the largest party by 5-20 seats, but not to the extent that they can get a majority even with the Lib Dems who will win 20-30 seats.

UKIP will get 2-5 seats, at least one of whoom will be forced to resign after making some kind of embarrassment of himself. They have exactly zero chance of being in government or indeed having much of a say over anything because the Conservatives know how damaging that would be to their image.

How far along the 5-20 seats lead the Conservatives have over Labour, as well as whether Nick Clegg can save his seat (if he doesn't then no way will the Libs back the Tories again) will determine who is the next prime minister.

The only thing I think may happen is that the SNP do a little less well than people are saying.

Hope Farage wins duty............

Be a shame regardless of how I feel about his party to lose such a colorful character..

Indeed, Truss. After all, he loves Europe!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXhLMIDscTI

It'll be Labour/SNP vs Tory/LD/UKIP

Tragic the the vast majority of the country could be run by a party that didn't win the most seats combined with party that solely represents one minority region.

Absolutely fooked.

Let's see how stable a Tory/Lib majority of 15/20 will be with the forty or so right wing nutjobs on the backbenches having to watch Libs get jobs in govt and have a say in policy..

Works for me, just as long as the biggest party has the greatest control.

TopHat24/7 wrote:Works for me, just as long as the biggest party has the greatest control.

It won't work for long....

GOOD LUCK WHEELIE BUDDY !!!!!

Good luck wheelchair

If you get in, how much cash will it take for you to mention the v2 forum in PMs question time?

Good Luck Wheely (Haven't forgotten to PM you, had a busy week for a change)

Best of luck mate

Jo is coming down with me (she won't go down on me so it's the next best thing!!) to the booth tonight.......

She's toying with UKIP or If there is a "They're all crap party" she'll vote for them !!!..

How did Wheely do?

<BUMP>

Yeh, how'd you get on Wheels??

See Cons held the Worcester parliamentary seat fairly comfortably, increasing vote share 5.8%.

Worcester City Council went Tory from NOC.

I lost my seat but increased the vote share of labour in the seat, i did better then the rest of the labour local candidates, the labour hierachy have already asked me to stand again next year

Great work Wheels, well done for having the balls & conviction to stand.

Good on yer buddy, fingers crossed for you next year

Well i got a lot of positive things said about me i just wish i could have won the seat but i gave it my all and i was up 48 straight from 6am on election day. Which is why i have not been on here lately been recovering

Well done Wheels, truly admirable, we all whinge about politics and the like, very few get off our arse and try and do something (myself included) so you deserve praise for bucking that trend. If you want some advice for the next time around move to Rotherham, stick a red rosette on a donkey and we'll vote him in round here!

Haha cheers for the advice rowley

wheelchair1991 wrote:I lost my seat but increased the vote share of labour in the seat, i did better then the rest of the labour local candidates, the labour hierachy have already asked me to stand again next year

wheelchair1991 wrote:Well i got a lot of positive things said about me i just wish i could have won the seat but i gave it my all and i was up 48 straight from 6am on election day. Which is why i have not been on here lately been recovering

Who do you want as labour leader and deputy Wheelie ??

I think it will be Burnham/Flint......................Rather see you pick Creagh / Creasy..

I think it will be Burnham/Creasy. Ive had dealings with flint and we don't like each other