Local politics

I had a bit of a shock this evening. The door bell rang, I opened the
door and there was my MP standing on my doorstep. I think he was
moderately surprised that I went "Hello it's Mr Gerrard isn't it?".

Shame I had literally just served up my dinner or else I might have had
a chat to him. He obviously wanted to know who I would be voting for
but I haven't decided yet.

The context is the local elections next week. For years we've had the
token odd leaflet through the door from the main parties but this time
it's getting nasty. There was a big swing at the General Election away
from Labour to the Lib Dems although Labour held the seat. The Lib Dems
typically "do" local neighbourhood politics rather well and they have
been working away solidly for about 2 years with regular newsletters and
getting lots of local things fixed. In about the last 4 months Labour
have, I think, twigged that they are at risk of losing the local ward
and potentially any chance of getting back full control of the council
where they are a minority administration IIRC. It is rather interesting
to see the thirst for power from the challengers and the look of fear
from those defending their seats - it almost makes politics a bit
interesting again. The only down side is that none of the apparent
priorities for my local area are of any great interest to me personally.

 

<g> Many years ago I used to drink regularly with Bob Laxton and have
often thought about getting back in touch to find out what the hell
Westminster think they are playing at lately.

We haven't had the MP out here but last week son answered the door and
called me, 'Mum, there's someone here about voting Labour'. I might
have cackled as I went up the hall to speak to him.

I have and I told him exactly why I wouldn't be voting for Labour. Not
on local issues but national.

There are a few wards here that are getting very twitchy.

Similar here but as we have both Labour and Lib Dem councillors the
newsletters tend to be 'look what we've done that the other lot
didn't'.

It will be an interesting election. I remember the Tories getting
appaling local results before losing their grip on power.

I'm not sure I'm completely past caring but certainly a little jaded.

 

I couldn't vote labour purely because I can't take a candidate with a
name like "Baggy Shanker" at all seriously. That's got to be a made up
name, right?

 

That would never happen here. They have some droid phone you at dinner
time.

 

That's *exactly* my experience here (LibDem seat and council).

They came canvassing last weekend. I was cleaning a bike out the front,
and just said: "It's OK, you've already got our vote." and they grinned
and moved on.

I understand a common trick for opposition supporters is to say: "ooooh,
tell me more" and let candidates waste their time for 10 or 15
minutes.....

 

My area doesn't seem to be having any.

 

[snip]

Three doors down the road from me is where our local UKIP candidate
lives, complete with posters in the windows etc. I'm kinda hoping they
actually call so I can explain exactly why I wouldn't be voting for
them[1]

[1] it's a bit late anyway as I sent in my postal vote last week[2]
[2] voted for a group most people won't have heard of.

 

that's pretty dire - let's hope this isn't much more than a
four-poster cascade.

 

[snip]

oops - I've just realised this just about gives my address away on
Usenet. Still, good job I got the number of doors away wrong.

 

She probably doesn't care, she's bound to get in as she has deep
pockets.

 

Even then one person's "up" could be another's "Down".

Course, to be certain, taking out the whole street would be the
sensible option - and it would even include a UKIP candidate so double
bonus.

 

good job I'm moving house.

 

[snip]

oops - I've just realised this just about gives my address away on
Usenet. Still, good job I got the number of doors away wrong.[/QUOTE]

It's not so much usenet stalkers, it's more the prospect of hordes of
drink-swilling freeloaders that worries me.
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a
Every post contains Nutri-Ceramide-R and Pre-Biotics
for your reading pleasure.
Folding@Home Team UKRM
http://vspx27.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/main.py?qtype=teampage&teamnum=47957

 

<g>

So are you located on the Bush Hill Batteries side of the station or the
other side then?

I have been through your neck of the woods a few times of late on the
192 bus. It's a very odd area - you move one street in a particular
direction and the style of housing etc changes very noticeably.

 

Well I'd have been more tempted to ask Mr Gerrard if he was a Blair man
or is he waiting for dear old Gordon to take over. My guess is that he
is the latter.

Care to say why?

I can't quite make my mind up whether we are in one of those seminal
periods in politics when the old order noticeably starts to slip away
and the voters begin to realise en masse that they want to change.

I do think Blair has now had it and he is out of ideas and out of
political stamina. He's always had loads of the latter and has been
skillful in using it to the max but he just seems tired and worn out.
If Brown is to take over then he needs to start explaining what his
policies are as I fear that they will be unappealing to most people and
if it's left too long there will not be time for them to be "corrected"
and changed into something that is electorally palatable. Dear old Mr
Cameron will have made hay in the meantime - aided and abetted by our
dear old media.

 

I assume you said this to each of the party's canvassers who turned up?

 

Don't worry - no-one actually likes you enough to come round for a cup
of tea.

 

Dammit, I *wish* I'd thought of that.

 

I'm genuinely amazed that you hadn't. That sort of prank seems right up
your street.