I had been hoping Conservatives would come at least second in the Ealing Southall by-election, but coming third was a bitter blow and a huge embarrassment.
Tony Lit, despite his dashing Bollywood looks and huge popularity was obviously a flawed choice after it became known that he had only joined the Conservative Party shortly before his selection and had donated money to Labour just days before.
Even the five flying visits by David Cameron and highly publicised Labour councillor defections to Conservatives failed to ensure the vital support at the ballot box.
What dedicated political candidates need to do is convince voters of their sincerity by being a visible force and working for their political party even before their selection. I would like to see them holding stalls on market places and in shopping centres, as well as knocking on doors, talking to as many people as possible face to face. They should be doing this now and not waiting for an election to be called. All too often, people complain they have never heard of the candidates, so can you blame them for being apathetic.
I wouldn’t classify it as a defeat…more of a no-hoper from the outset. This is the type of urban, “ethnic”, genetically Labour seat we can’t expect to win or even come second in…
“What dedicated political candidates need to do is convince voters of their sincerity by being a visible force and working for their political party even before their selection. I would like to see them holding stalls on market places and in shopping centres, as well as knocking on doors, talking to as many people as possible face to face. They should be doing this now and not waiting for an election to be called. All too often, people complain they have never heard of the candidates, so can you blame them for being apathetic.”
So true Elle, most people will historically vote one way or another depending on their preferences.
The only way a candidate cam influence or change the vote, is by going out there and making themselves ‘personally’ known.
Of course the individual is bound to attract criticism or support along party lines, but for those voters who are not swayed by party loyalty (or hatred of the other party) – the personal touch can ‘clinch’ the vote.
And every voter, every vote – does count!
The voters are as much the problem as the candidates, though.
I have posted recently on the worrying lack of interest from the public. I am not concerned about low turn-out at elections but I am worried about those people who do vote not caring about what their representatives actually do in their names.
If the public didn’t vote Conservative because of the candidate’s clear lack of ideological integrity, then all to the good — but I think it highly unlikely this was a significant factor.
Some of the people who are elected (representing any and all parties) are so clearly incompetent etc. that I doubt people know who they’re voting for at all.
Im not sure about that. I would vote for any candidate who agreed never to contact me again….
Do you think a low turnout might have skewed the true picture?
I’m not against philosophical conversions. But if someone told me that my candidate was someone who 5 weeks earlier was batting for the other team, I wouldn’t have a great deal of confidence.
Tim, I agree, you can never underestimate the intelligence of the public.
I think Tim has said it all here.
As you say Elle – I don’t think this has been a disaster – but it does look like tis rich with lessons to be learned. If they are then we will still have done the well out of this event.
Its the first time I’ve felt a buz about a Conservative bye-election campaign that I can remember – and that in itself is an achievement.
We are also constrained by the policy of NuLabour to close with and position the Conservatives take up. They have bad memories of the voters deciding on the basis of clearly understood and articulated policies and philosophies and don’t seem keen to repeat the experience.
Elle, sorry to say the unsayable – but large defeat is what it is.Anyone who doesnt see this, doesnt see the mountain still to climb.The candidate reflects the lack of ideological intergrity at the heart of the party. David Cameron is likeable – people say he’s likeable, but that doesnt mean votes. Old money posh bloke wont win. ‘Buz’ is one thing ‘win’ is very much another. Tim is dead right – but the whole party looks very Tony Lit at the moment!
This is a message I have had posted on Facebook by Southall Ealing Conservatives, who are keeping a very brave face:
Dear all,
Tony Lit has asked me to write and say a big thank you to everyone who came to help in the by-election. Tony is a fantastic guy and really made the campaign a lot of fun for everyone involved.
The Lib Dems were very bitter at the count about not taking this seat because the Conservative vote held up and we improved our share of the vote on a lower turnout.
During the campaign we gained 5 new councillors and Conservatives now have the largest number of councillors within the constituency.
We also kept hold of Cleveland ward in a by-election in neighbouring Ealing North last night – a seat which the Lib Dems hoped to win.
Thanks again for your help. This group will now be closing down.
David Mackintosh
By-Election Team
Q9, You are absolutely right about saying every vote counts. My view on MPs is that they are only there on borrowed time, they should do their utmost to engage with constituents during their term of office, constituents have very long memories, they are not fools and their support cannot be taken for granted.
Ellee, you hit the nail on the head there.
You said ‘sincerity’.
That is the key word.
Voters are turned off by any whiff of insincerity.
At the moment, David Cameron reeks of insincerity. Even I, who am sympathetic to the Conservative Party, see that. How much more other people?
This is only an embarrassment in the sense that the Tories failed to come second, and then you must further consider that the Tory vote actually held up well in a constituency that they were never likely to win, and the same can be said of Sedgefield.
The real embarrassment here is to me the almost fatal collapse of Labours vote in this constituency and in Sedgefield, more than halved in the former, and cut by two thirds in the latter; that is a real embarrassment for Brown in what is his honeymoon period.
Did the media report this? Not really…so the spin and PR machine is alive and well still.
You should all stop kidding yourselves , Cameron is becoming not the solution but instead the problem to the Tories staying in the doldrums .
Hes vapid, left wing , and completely without any real conviction , and its becoming increasingly obvious to any one with half a brain .
Weve had enough of Blair type politics and now this idiot’s in charge of the party .
As they used to say where I was born he’s ” all mouth and trousers ” a waste of space.
You should have picked David Davis .
Still after Brown wins a 4th term for Labour next spring Cameron will be booted out so fast his feet wont touch the ground and you might all decide that as youve tried everything else youll go for someone that the country can start to believe really means to sort out all the ills were suffering from.
with you on every word!
Cameron has got to be the last in a long line of Eton school rich kids who dont have real conviction and get their politics from the Not. Hill useless bunch. We need something different to brown not a wet!
although has to be said – WHO?
Hi Peter,
Yes it is something of an impossible task when you look at the bunch on offer !
Still , as it appears that letters are startling to flow on this very question to the 1922 committee there might yet be a light at the end of the tunnel.
My vote ( but I wont have one cos I will never again join the party ) would have been and still would be for David Davis .
Clever , articulate , from a genuine working class boy made good background (council house , single parent family to boot ! ) he can seriously say he understands normal people outside the Notting Hill brigade .
I strongly suspect hes known all along that ” Dave ” would never cut the mustard and is simply biding his time .
Talking of “the boy Dave ” what a hoot to see him stuck out in Africa doing his silly PR stunt ( along with 40 others ) whilst at home Gordon Brown is out there in the floods today shaking hands with people who are really making a difference , the firebrigade , the army and the local councils , bet those people are too damned busy and too damned tired to be doing their little blogs !
Apologies to Deter ,
I must get some new specs !