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!!

I don't think me personally was worse off under labour, the country as a whole seemed in a mess but I would say it's pretty similar now.
I don't remember seeing too many 'top civil service personnel getting massive bonus's over workforce' headlines either.
Does Granny have lower fuel prices, there still seems to be a lot of hoo ha over the cost of fuel and the cons don't seem to have any idea what to do about it ('make them simplify it' carries on, 6 months later 'simplify the bills')

You do realise that the housing crisis is something that hasn't been addressed by either party, and the cons 'let people buy their council houses (inc those owned by associations)' is completely ridiculous.
The bedroom tax on paper was a good idea, in practice it was stupidly thought out and implemented 'Yep i'll move to a smaller house so I don't get hit' 'We haven't got any smaller so you have to pay extra' 'but i'll move, anywhere' 'nope nothing available, yaaaay more tax for us'

Civil service execs were largely installed by Labour and on massive pay schemes. I agree I'd like that curtailed, but that's not a problem of Tory creation.

Re fuel prices, they've come right down to similar levels as under Labour. However the reality is the government can do little to effect them - therefore you either blame/reward either party or neither party, you can't pick and choose.

I'm on record saying RTB is a terrible policy. But so is the 'mansion' tax.

Also your interpretation of the 'bedroom tax' is wrong. People were never required to 'pay' anything 'extra', they were just given less. Cry me a f*cking river.... (though I do agree the general principal that it's a good policy badly implemented).

You know that means the same thing Toppy and is just semantics. Their benefits were cut on the basis that they had an extra room even if they requested a move but there was nowhere for them to go. That was purely a Tory policy and was so messed up it's unbelievable (seriously, how difficult is it to state if your unwilling to downsize then you'll have the cuts on you.

I've said for a long time, continue raising the tax's for the companies as they extortianely raise theirs, pump the money into lowering tax's for the duration and lower the companies tax's when they lower prices again.

Sorry but you can't keep blaming Labour for the issues at the top of the civil service now. If the Tories were able to change pay/bonus's etc for everyone else then why not for the top echelons?

Think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one Toppy

@Wheely, one of the biggest issues I have with Labour, especially in my area, is the actual councillors (our MP to be fair has been a great help). They need to be a bit more grounded and understanding of the different situations in different areas. And be a bit more visual, just because it's a labour area (although poss not for much longer) doesn't mean we don't want to hear what you've got to say and what your going to do.

Do you remember the fuel cut..........

Go on youtube and watch Tory minister Chloe smith try to explain it.....

Another U-turn caused by kids reading the Sun newspaper and changing their minds..

The day before Justine Greening the environment minister.... ruled the cut out on the andrew Neill show..

Dear oh dear.........."We can't play fast and loose with the economy"

8 billion pumping into the NHS with no idea how to fund it !!!

Right to buy !!!

Kids....

Derbymanc wrote:Because apparently Toppy, we're all in it together, i've had my wages stuck at 1 percent or less pay rise for the last god knows how many years (the idea of being away from home for 8 months of the year is so you can treat the family when your home, fat chance these days), My pension has been completely overhauled and contributions upped which has wiped out the wage rises, oh and my bonus's were amalgamated into my pay on the pretense of a pay rise.

Work in private sector. Pretty much the same as you. Had a £250 pay rise this year and £500 bonus which is the first for 5 years. Business directly affected by the recession which i blame the labour government for.

That's not the point Sean,

I'd be happy if it was across the board my issue is that whilst the likes of myself are stuck struggling, the higher ups are fine.

Lets just say that finding out certain people were in for (I think) a 7K payrise, whilst myself was on for £100, due to restructuring of the pay (to save money btw) didn't make a lot of us happy bunnies.


Plus the fact i'm on 24/7 callout when i'm away (8 months of the year) then you'd also see why I get peed off with it.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Do you remember the fuel cut..........      

Go on youtube and watch Tory minister Chloe smith try to explain it.....

Another U-turn caused by kids reading the Sun newspaper and changing their minds..

The day before Justine Greening the environment minister.... ruled the cut out on the andrew Neill show..

Dear oh dear.........."We can't play fast and loose with the economy"

8 billion pumping into the NHS with no idea how to fund it !!!

Right to buy !!!

Kids....

Glad you chucked in the laugh smilies as that genuinely is a laughable post. No wonder you needed daddy-in-law to find you a job if that's the limit of your intellect and insightfulness.

Derbymanc wrote:You know that means the same thing Toppy and is just semantics. Their benefits were cut on the basis that they had an extra room even if they requested a move but there was nowhere for them to go. That was purely a Tory policy and was so messed up it's unbelievable (seriously, how difficult is it to state if your unwilling to downsize then you'll have the cuts on you.

I half agree with you. As someone who thinks benefits are way to generous and hated Labour's approach of just borrowing to chuck cash at every problem, just papering over cracks without repairing underlying problems, I don't care about them being reduced but in terms of the implementation of that actual policy I agree that it's a mess.

Nice idea, but pointless if you won't correct the largest structural issue in the housing market (which neither Labour or Tory have ever addressed) - supply.

what do you do?

seanmichaels wrote:what do you do?

Who?

I'm a big believer in a lot of things need restructuring within the government, starting with 
Expenses
Houses
Contracts
Public sector management wages
Benefits
immigration

Problem is that as a country we've gotten really good at blaming issues on a minority (not all benefit claimants are cheats or scroungers, not all immigrants are leeching off the country)

One thing is for sure 8 billion for the NHS is going to need paying for

Another thing for sure is it won't come from the core vote !!

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:One thing is for sure 8 billion for the NHS is going to need paying for

Another thing for sure is it won't come from the core vote !!

How're Labour planning to pay for their pledge of £2m MORE.......????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

People are discussing whether one party is fairer than the other? Ahh, to believe in lies.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:One thing is for sure 8 billion for the NHS is going to need paying for

Another thing for sure is it won't come from the core vote !!

How're Labour planning to pay for their pledge of £2m MORE.......????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Labour aren't running their election campaign on strict cuts and fiscal competency..

All we keep hearing is don't let Labour ruin the economy...

8 billion pledge and no one knows where it's coming from..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:One thing is for sure 8 billion for the NHS is going to need paying for

Another thing for sure is it won't come from the core vote !!

How're Labour planning to pay for their pledge of £2m MORE.......????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Labour aren't running their election campaign on strict cuts and fiscal competency..

All we keep hearing is don't let Labour ruin the economy...

8 billion pledge and no one knows where it's coming from..

That doesn't answer the question though, does it??

Labour haven't explained how they're financing £10bn, or do you know something that everyone else (including the Ed's) don't know??

The Tory campaign is being badly run, its not a party political point, i have spoken to people who work for the tories they are not happy with their campaign messege. We all expect a bit of rubbishing of the other side thats just politics. But that has to be mixed in with some positive ideas for the future. Lots in the Tory Party are fuming that Lynton Crosby simply wants to go with 'Ed is crap and a backstabber' and 'Labour will be run by the SNP' .

How well do you get to know the other candidates doing this, and what are your general impressions of them? I mean, obviously you don't agree with all their ideas, but has the process changed your mind about anything?
And running in a local election, how much difference are you expecting to the general election results? Are people looking for different things at different levels, or just picking a party for Westminster and ticking all the boxes for their candidates?

I don't have a good impression of the current tory incumbent, obviously i don't agree with him on policy but its more then that. His attitude towards other members of the council on all sides is hostile. He spends some of his time in USA selling arms, i just don't think he has been there enough for the people of the ward in the last 4 years and they deserve better representation on the council.
There is no lib dem candidate, the green candidate seems nice enough but they are not putting many resources in as they have a more realistic chance elswhere in the city.
The UKIP candidate has made one or two terrible comments which i can't go into on the site. But its safe to safe i don't share his views lol

Good on you Wheely, if you manage to make it on the council, don't forget about the little people and remember that things are different in each part of a constituancy. (Sorry if that comes across as harsh, but I can't get over our councillors in Blackley)

I am a little person mate i live on a council estate

I'm sure you won't, I still can't get over our councillor walking round the area at 12 midday only to ring me up and tell me my missus was lying about the trouble in the area as and I quote 'It was very quiet when I walked around'
(Yeah i'm sure you missed all the bootmarks up the fence and the graffiti around too)

Based on here though you'd get my vote, very open, honest and approachable 

Thanks for that, but don't forget strongy thinks we are the same so you are only voting for yourself
That sounds like a terrible attitude the councillor has, what party do they represent?

Labour, the council is shocking, but the MP (Graham Stringer) is brilliant. If your interested i'll PM you at some point with the issues we've had (there's been a few )

Yeah that would be great always happy to listen

wheelchair1991 wrote:The Tory campaign is being badly run, its not a party political point, i have spoken to people who work for the tories they are not happy with their campaign messege. We all expect a bit of rubbishing of the other side thats just politics. But that has to be mixed in with some positive ideas for the future. Lots in the Tory Party are fuming that Lynton Crosby simply wants to go with 'Ed is crap and a backstabber' and 'Labour will be run by the SNP' .

Totally agree, which as a prospective Tory voter is frustrating.  Plenty of their initiatives are fine in small doses.

Ed is crap - fine, he is.
Labour = SNP - fine, it's true.

But if that's your whole campaign then the whole thing is negative.

Focus on the positive - the economy! It's been good news story after good news story there.  

At least they've stopped trying to out-UKIP UKIP, but still.....

TopHat24/7 wrote:Totally agree, which as a prospective Tory voter is frustrating.  Plenty of their initiatives are fine in small doses.

Ed is crap - fine, he is.
Labour = SNP - fine, it's true.

But if that's your whole campaign then the whole thing is negative.

Focus on the positive - the economy! It's been good news story after good news story there.

There's a been a weird sense throughout that they don't really want to win all that much. You've got Cameron seeming like he doesn't really want to be PM, economic plans that are weirdly vague considering it's what got them elected and it's arguably been working, and a general message that seems to be setting themselves up to be the opposition in both England and Scotland (I still think they're - pretty clumsily - trying to set themselves up as the party of the right and/or unionism there just like the SNP have become/want to be the party of the left and/or nationalism).

You're wrong he's got his sleeves rolled up and his top button open with no tie.....He definitely wants it..

Rumor has it in the last week he'll be calling everybody "Bro" and "Me old Mucca"..

Cameron said the other day "he is bloody pumped up" with his sleeves rolled up as Truss says.

Following the Obama model.

Less tragic than failing to eat a bacon sarnie then getting interviewed by Russell Brand....

Brand has 600,000 followers on the net...........Marginals will be close...

A masterstroke......

Obama energised the youth against MCCain why not have a go.....

Maybe Ed should go riding with huskies...........Or maybe ride his bicycle to work because he's green ......and hope people don't see his chauffeur driven car following right behind him...

Masterstroke?

Reaching out to a guy that promotes not voting?? How many of those followers are even 18+?!?

It was a pathetic needy gesture.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:One thing is for sure 8 billion for the NHS is going to need paying for

Another thing for sure is it won't come from the core vote !!

How're Labour planning to pay for their pledge of £2m MORE.......????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Labour aren't running their election campaign on strict cuts and fiscal competency..

All we keep hearing is don't let Labour ruin the economy...

8 billion pledge and no one knows where it's coming from..

That doesn't answer the question though, does it??

Labour haven't explained how they're financing £10bn, or do you know something that everyone else (including the Ed's) don't know??

Where is the 8 billion coming from Mate ??................

Oh wait I bet we can guess !!!

I thought it was a clever move talking to brand

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

He just hates Labour...............Which wouldn't be so bad If his arguments stacked up.....

Forgets that Labour brought in the Minimum wage, Brought waiting lists down, Irish agreement, Flexible working, Surestart, Tax credits for struggling families..............................

Imagine the state of your Country had Churchill won in 45..........He actually wanted to invade Russia after WW2 finished..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:One thing is for sure 8 billion for the NHS is going to need paying for

Another thing for sure is it won't come from the core vote !!

How're Labour planning to pay for their pledge of £2m MORE.......????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Labour aren't running their election campaign on strict cuts and fiscal competency..

All we keep hearing is don't let Labour ruin the economy...

8 billion pledge and no one knows where it's coming from..

That doesn't answer the question though, does it??

Labour haven't explained how they're financing £10bn, or do you know something that everyone else (including the Ed's) don't know??

Where is the 8 billion coming from Mate ??................

Oh wait I bet we can guess !!!

Still not answering the question though, are you? Consider a career in politics perhaps??

Where's Labour's £8bn coming from? And the additional £2bn promised on top......?

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

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

He just hates Labour...............Which wouldn't be so bad If his arguments stacked up.....

Forgets that Labour brought in the Minimum wage, Brought waiting lists down, Irish agreement, Flexible working, Surestart, Tax credits for struggling families..............................

Imagine the state of your Country had Churchill won in 45..........He actually wanted to invade Russia after WW2 finished..

And you're just a phoney Liberal that loves Labour and hates Tory so can never and will never look past that fact.

Spin all your like.............But it's your party that is running on a stable economy and fiscal competence..

I was out canvassing yesterday i had a severly disabled women in tears talking to me about how she had just been sanctioned and as a result was losing her benefit payment. Its that which makes me get up and canvass in the freezing weather so that i can try and help when things like this happen

wheelchair1991 wrote:I was out canvassing yesterday i had a severly disabled women in tears talking to me about how she had just been sanctioned and as a result was losing her benefit payment. Its that which makes me get up and canvass in the freezing weather so that i can try and help when things like this happen

 - We need more like you Wheely

Derbymanc wrote:

wheelchair1991 wrote:I was out canvassing yesterday i had a severly disabled women in tears talking to me about how she had just been sanctioned and as a result was losing her benefit payment. Its that which makes me get up and canvass in the freezing weather so that i can try and help when things like this happen

 - We need more like you Wheely

This phoney liberal echoes Derby's sentiment..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Spin all your like.............But it's your party that is running on a stable economy and fiscal competence..

Still doesn't answer the question............

wheelchair1991 wrote:I was out canvassing yesterday i had a severly disabled women in tears talking to me about how she had just been sanctioned and as a result was losing her benefit payment. Its that which makes me get up and canvass in the freezing weather so that i can try and help when things like this happen

Did she say why? Or what benefit had been reduced/taken away??

TopHat24/7 wrote:

wheelchair1991 wrote:I was out canvassing yesterday i had a severly disabled women in tears talking to me about how she had just been sanctioned and as a result was losing her benefit payment. Its that which makes me get up and canvass in the freezing weather so that i can try and help when things like this happen

Did she say why? Or what benefit had been reduced/taken away??

One of many I expect...........

When you don't come into contact with these people they become numbers and not human beings....

Bit like Orson welles in The third man...."Would you really feel any sympathy If one of those little dots stopped moving forever.. If I offered you £20,000 for every dot that stopped"

Why I'll never vote Republican or Conservative......Because they don't give a toss..

Because she started doing voluntery work at the local library with a view to getting work there, however because the library is not a registered charity the goverment sanctioned her. As crazy as this sounds i'm not making it its all within the current rules set out by the DWP

What benefits were removed?

I'm guessing the angle is, if you can do voluntary work then you're evidencing that you can work. Therefore you need to 'sign on' and go through the neccessary procedures in order to continue to receive benefits.

Logical, but I can see how it could be upsetting for someone actually putting in the effort to do something about their situation and feeling like they're getting kicked for it.

I think its a terrible rule i actually told the Tory group about it in Worcester they thought it was unfair as well to be fair to them.

wheelchair1991 wrote:Because she started doing voluntery work at the local library with a view to getting work there, however because the library is not a registered charity the goverment sanctioned her.  As crazy as this sounds i'm not making it its all within the current rules set out by the DWP

Problem with these things wheelie is good people get trapped in the net..

If it was down to me I'd stop lazy-no-good wasters getting benefits.........But these morons don't seem able to differentiate between them and deserving types..

This debate is funny. I do presume only the tories ever took away peoples benefits?

Screw it, I'm voting Green.

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.