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LadyEllen -> RE: UK local elections ? (4/18/2008 8:01:04 AM)
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Stella - I suggest you vote Lib Dem and not lump them in with the other two. We want electoral reform and the best way that will be achieved is to return a Lib Dem MP.
Seeks - the recent political history of the Wyre Forest constituency eh? We are the exception m'dear, and recognised as such by all three main parties. We're a semi-rural constituency and something of a dormitory town constituency too - this is where the well to do of the Black Country move, alongside lots of troubled areas. The Tories will always do well here because we're overstocked with upper middle class and those aspiring to that status, but the natural choice of those further down the socio-economic scale here has always been the Liberal party / Lib Dems.
For years, we returned a Tory MP but had Liberal local government. The Liberal party then became the Lib Dems nationally and locally here, but the rump of the former Liberal party remained; only here and in Liverpool (I believe) is the old Liberal party still extant.
Then to the surprise of many (especially the Tories, hee hee!) we then returned a Labour MP in 1997. However, him being under secretary for health and voting to close the local hospital didnt help his career any, and he was then dumped at the next election along with his party, which has never recovered here. We returned Dr Richard Taylor who had fronted a campaign for the "party which isnt a party" Health Concern, who also took over the local authority.
The good Dr is a good egg and has done what he can and achieved a few things in restoring services to the hospital. As such he's been reelected but will stand down next time, so he says. In the meantime, Health Concern has collapsed - they made a total hash of local government and are slowly imploding. They were replaced by the biggest bunch of fascists under the sun in the form of the local Tory party whose autocratic approach is not well received - the Tory leader of the council actually wrote in the local paper that the local electorate are pathetic for criticing Tory decisions.
The field is now wide open for the Lib Dems in colaition with the Liberals to regain the local authority here and at the next national election to take the seat - an effort in which both parties are engaged together behind one candidate. We stood aside and didnt put up a candidate against Dr Taylor from the start - since he was such a good candidate to take our shared issues to Westminster. Although he sits with and votes with the Lib Dems in the Commons, it may have been a mistake to stand down to allow him a free run, because its since then that Lib Dem and Liberal party fortunes here declined, which we put down to the resulting low profile stance we had - and the fortunes of the Conservatives have risen.
Labour dont stand a chance here. The Tories have to be gotten rid of, for their arrogance and their stupidity. By default that leaves our Lib / Lib Dem cooperative as front runners.
E
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