Our Vicky found herself unexpectedly rubbing shoulders with Esther Rantzen today at a school in Luton which she was visiting with Conservative Luton North parliamentary candidate Jeremy Brier.
Esther is considering standing as a candidate in Luton South against disgraced expenses Labour MP Margaret Moran. So today she decided to find out what Luton was really like, accompanied by the media circus.
I can excuse Esther for turning up at the wrong constituency, but I think our Vicky outshone her when they talked about crime and young people, and she asked why politicians didn’t focus on young people’s issues.
It took our Vicky, a Conservative Euro parliamentary candidate for the Eastern Region, to remind everyone that this was was a common feeling for young people around the country, and not just in Luton. Neither is this solely a problem for young people, but the elderly too, said our Vicky. Bizarrely, Esther’s solution was a pledte to bring her celebrity friends and introduce ballroom dancing to Luton.
I’ve met Esther and I like her and admire her great work supporting charities. I thought she was wonderful in the Celebrity Jungle, only it’s a different kind of jungle in the political world.
These are serious issues which Jeremy and our Luton South 
parliamentary candidate Nigel Huddleston have been working on tirelessly. These two genuine guys are equally disgusted with the expenses scandal and Margaret Moran. They have both been working their socks off in Luton to show how committed they are to representing the electorate as decent, dedicated, community minded politicians. That could now be at risk for Nigel if Esther stands in Luton South because she will also be standing against Nigel, and not just Moran.
That’s why Nigel warns her that by standing as a candidate in what is already a highly marginal seat, she may risk splitting the anti-Moran vote even more – and ironically risk Labour wining again – which is not what the people of Luton want!
And he also points out Esther’s widely reported concerns could add even more pressure against Moran to stand down, so the chances are she won’t even be competing against her in the next general election. Her mission will have been accomplished.
My message to Esther is try to get to know Nigel and Jeremy and support their determined efforts to oust Moran.
It’s amazing that the Luton South Association is sticking with MM
I agree Ellee….just another Martin Bell. She would change nothing and achieve little.
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“That’s why Nigel warns her that by standing as a candidate in what is already a highly marginal seat, she may risk splitting the anti-Moran vote even more – and ironically risk Labour wining again – which is not what the people of Luton want!”
So, why doesn’t he stand back and let her run? Then, there would be no splitting of the vote.
I find as a UKIP supporter that this is quite a common view by Conservatives – that somehow they have a right to be the official opposition, and that UKIP shouldn’t be taking their votes away.
Perhaps Esther is reaching out to people who are watching Conservative MP Anthony Steen telling the voters that they shouldn’t find out how he’s spending their money, describing hard-working taxpayers as “jealous” when he is spending their money and basically treating the people with utter contempt. Perhaps she thinks that some people will look at the moat clearances and expensive hotel stays and decide that the Conservatives too don’t deserve their vote.
Of course, had the Conservatives supported an alternative to FPTP when they had the chance in government, this whole issue of vote splitting wouldn’t be an issue. As they haven’t, well, that’s going to be just too bad if they lose.
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