I Never Knew That I Had So Many Friends

My, what a very full in-box today!

First, yes, an election address largely gleaned word for word from my letters to the Consett & Stanley Advertiser took a deposit-saving ten per cent of the vote in 2005. I didn't mind, and I don't mind. Very far from it, in fact.

And secondly, yes, large numbers of Labour Councillors make no secret of the fact that they are simply going let their membership lapse once Derwentside District Council is abolished. But nobody ever shakes off the politics bug.

The Independent candidate last time is unlikely to stand again. The Lib Dems won't really fight this seat. The Tories won't fight it at all. And New Labour will put up some parachuted in Millbank clone, probably off an all-women shortlist.

New Labour absolutely will not consider local candidates where the North East is concerned; no other part of the country is treated like that. And of course you have to be London-based to get onto an all-women shortlist. That's what they are for.

Any local candidate who cannot beat some parachuted in Millbank clone, probably off an all-women shortlist, is simply not making an effort. And I certainly will be making an effort.

As well I might. Even leaving aside those who didn't vote last time and wouldn't otherwise vote next time, one third of the Labour vote (and an awful lot of Labour voters round here could be called "pro-life, pro-family, pro-worker and anti-war"), one third of the Tory vote (and Tory voters in the rural North hold views much closer to mine than to David Cameron's), half the Lib Dem vote (mostly made up of people who would prefer a more local and more distinctive vehicle for protest, if available) and the Independent vote last time add up to more votes than the remaining two thirds of Labour support, even before whatever hell breaks loose over the selection of Hilary Armstrong's successor.

If, as I have variously been told today, she doesn't retire after all, or no all-women shortlist is imposed (effectively the end of the whole scheme, so we can discount that), or a local candidate is permitted by New Labour HQ (inconceivable), then we will all know why.

I'm going to enjoy this. Very, very, very much.