Tactical voting is a matter for voters, not for parties.
UKIP ought to bear that it mind as it gallantly stands aside for a party that is arranging safe seats in the Commons for its pro-Remain MEPs, but which is refusing to shortlist their pro-Leave colleagues.
In fact, rather a lot of people need to ponder that one, along with David Cameron's fairly breezy assertion yesterday that Theresa May needed a large majority in order to avoid Hard Brexit. She has not corrected him.
Meanwhile, here in North West Durham, the Conservative candidate, Sally-Ann Hart, resides in Sussex, while the Labour candidate, Laura Pidcock, has somehow acquired an address in Lanchester during the week between her loss of her seat on Northumberland County Council and the close of nominations for this election.
Ms Pidcock was imposed, using an all-women shortlist, by the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party, with no local involvement whatever.
The Green candidate lives in Durham City, while the UKIP candidate lives in Bishop Auckland. I am not aware that either of them has played any role in the Teaching Assistants' campaign.
But Labour voters deserve a chance to return the contempt that the Labour Party has shown them by treating this seat as a consolation prize for Laura Pidcock, whose own MP has not retired as expected.
And everyone else deserves the chance to take this seat out of the hands of the Labour Party, including the chance for Conservative voters to return the contempt that their party has shown them by yet again failing to field a local candidate.
It's a hard choice. Labour who closed the DLI museum, refused it to go to Beamish. Labour who raised minimum wage by only 13p last time they were in. Who provides the army with dire equipment and lied to the people about how great it was.
ReplyDeleteOr conservatives, who champion the working people, make it easier to buy homes, but really harm the less abled, and make education eye wateringly expensive.
The libdems... well since the coalition they are just conservatives with odd plans.
But local problems will win over. The problem in north west Durham is that our Police are non existent, on TV they have all the man power they need, but try and call one. The PCSOs and Wardens finish at 11pm and don't come out either. I was told by a PC he has to patrol at night, across the whole area by himself, and won't tackle groups of kids. The streets arnt ours anymore. But where will these 10,000 labour cops go? Probably not to north west Durham.
Or they could vote for the local candidate... hang on ... he didnt manage to stand
ReplyDeleteThere is one, actually.
DeleteBut if you mean me, then no, I didn't manage to raise £10,000 in less a month. £10,000 is five years is a different matter.