Monthly Archives: May 2008

Why Sky is the Liberal Democrats of TV news

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I had decided to ask Gordon Brown a question at PMQs today – on listening to the people and learning (post disastrous election results last week) and suggest that if he had the guts he could prove he was listening by dropping the Post Office closure program. (Bad news for us by the way – none of our Post Offices were saved. We will have to get the info on why only a meagre seven in London were saved using FOI and then make hell let loose.)

Anyway – sadly I had to go to a funeral of an old uncle who died yesterday – so missed PMQs. On the radio coming back from the cemetery to parliament, blow me, I heard David Cameron ask exactly my point. That is scary! (For Nick’s questions, see the write-up on Lib Dem Voice.)

Raced to Sky News lunch with Adam Boulton and crew who were lunching Lib Dems to discuss how their news could extend even further into plurality and impartiality through internet and so on. Gorgeous lunch – and always interesting to hear what the other side thinks. Adam seemed to think that Sky News was the Liberal Democrats of news programs – in as much as they are always having to punch above their weight against the terrestrials of BBC and ITN.

I do think – and so did most of us MPs present – that Sky has the best rolling news and breaking news. And although I didn’t see their election coverage (as the stupid row with Virgin robbed me) I gather it was excellent. So unlike the BBC TV coverage that everyone in blogland has been blasting to high heaven for its low grade and tatty approach.

Very enjoyable – and as Julia Goldsworthy pointed out – half Sky’s top ten fanciable MPs were present. So – we ain’t got the power – but we sure got the looks!

Outrage at failure to listen to residents on Post Office closures

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The Post Office has announced it will close Weston Park, Ferme Park Road, Salisbury Road, Alexandra Park Road and Highgate Village Post Offices.Local Liberal Democrats have reacted with outrage and vowed to continue to fight the closures.

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone MP says:

“The Government promised it would listen after its drumming in the recent elections, but it is has proved itself completely deaf to the pleas from thousands of local residents and community activists.The message was clear: we do not want these closures.

“The consultation has sadly been a complete sham.Labour and Tories promised action against closures before the election, now is the time to deliver.

“I will do all in my power to keep these Post Offices open.”

More on those Jeremy Vine election night graphics

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Well – so far it’s a big thumbs down from readers of this blog for the BBC’s TV coverage of last week’s elections. My poll is currently running at 53% saying their coverage was “very bad” and another 25% saying it was “bad”.

Of course such polls should be taken with a pinch of salt – but reading round the media and the internet, it’s hard to find anyone who has got a good word to say about the coverage. As many people have pointed out – those who are up at 3am watching TV coverage of election results are exactly the sorts of people who want details and decimal points.

My favourite write-up is this one from Heresy Corner:

Far from helping to explain anything, this skit served only to confuse matters. I think the message had something to do with Lib Dem poll numbers, but it’s hard to tell exactly what. It reminds me of one of Humph’s convoluted metaphors designed to illustrate the concept behind One Song to the Tune of Another.

“It might help to think of the Lib Dem leader as a Wild West gunslinger and the percentage share of the vote as old cans hanging from strings in an old-style saloon. Nick Clegg’s task is to use his gun – that is, his campaign team – to “hit”, that is, reach, the “tin cans”, or the target number of votes. But, I hear you ask, what do a lot of empty beer cans rattling around in a bar have to do with the Liberal Democrats? In the studio we’ve got Charles Kennedy.”

If this doesn’t lead to High Noon for everyone responsible, the BBC needs a new sheriff.

Neil Williams comments on the London election result in Haringey

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Liberal Democrat leader Neil Williams comments on the GLA result locally:

“I’m pleased that we vote added nearly 4,000 votes to our total in Enfield and Haringey. That’s no mean achievement, given the squeeze that resulted in the Mayoral election across London.

“For the Tories, their total rejection round here is remarkable, and it is interesting that their candidate is already pointing the finger at voters here in Haringey. Once again they have totally failed to elect anyone, at any level, to represent this borough.

“While we don’t know the precise figures, the signs are we polled very well in Hornsey and Wood Green, where Lynne Featherstone is of course the local Lib Dem MP.I want to thank everyone who came out to vote for the Liberal Democrats across the whole area.”

Crewe & Nantwich by-election: are the rules wrong?

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Well – I don’t think much of polling day in the Crewe by-election being called for 22 May. In an era when we are supposed to be engaging people in the political process it would seem that Labour have called it as quickly as is allowed using the antiquated rules on these matters. Of course this gives the advantage to the incumbant’s Party – so Labour are simply using what’s available. But that’s no reason to say the rules shouldn’t be changed. If you’re talking about listening and learning – well here’s a chance: change the rules so that all Parliamentary by-election campaigns have to be of a decent length, giving voters a chance to really find out about the choices on offer.

That having been said we took two seats off Labour in the elections last week – and the Labour leader of the council lost his seat – so we will work hard as usual – and as everyone knows – we are the by-election experts! Elizabeth Shenton is our champion this time – and best of luck to her and the team!

Only seven London Post Offices to be saved?

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Word reaches me (though how reliable – not sure) that our cynical government, scared to announce the result of the consultation into Post Office closures in London prior to the elections, will announce this coming week that only seven Post Offices in London will not be closed. So – nearly all our campaigning and desperate pleas will have basically fallen on deaf ears if this is true.

Having watched both Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman today on the TV saying that they have learned lessons and are listening to the people – I would say if the Post Offices rumour proves to be true – then no, they aren’t listening. If they were really listening to the people they would stop this closure policy dead in its tracks. We’ll see!

The London results

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I woke up this morning hoping that Boris winning was just a bad dream – but sadly – it really happened. His acceptance speech though was very gracious – I would advise keeping that speechwriter standing just behind him at all times! Much as I have enjoyed Boris on TV shows I didn’t want him as Mayor of London. Didn’t want Ken either. However, the people have spoken and now the opportunity belongs to Boris and I hope desperately that he doesn’t bugger up all the good things that have happened in London since the GLA was created and that he does seek to re-unite this city.

Anyway – my poor Brian got hideously squeezed – and the knock on for my Assembly colleagues was a loss of two seats on the Assembly. As for the revolting result of a BNP member being elected despite a good turn out – that turns my stomach. Don’t know how colleagues will manage to deal with that every day!

We should get the ward results and therefore constituency results in due course – and I expect that in Hornsey & Wood Green the Lib Dem vote held up very well as overall Monica Whyte, our Enfield and Haringey candidate, polled more votes than last time and on percentage vote share changes had the best relative Liberal Democrat performance in London too (I think).

It was a huge surprise (seemingly to her as well) that Joanne McCartney held the Enfield and Haringey London Assembly seat for Labour. The Tories thought it was in the bag – but it wasn’t. Shades of the 2004 election where again Labour pulled off a surprise victory in the seat despite very high Conservative confidence that they would take it.

And together with the gain of the Tory seat of Brent and Harrow – the Labour Assembly members did not do as badly as expected on a night when Labour nationally had disastrous results in the local elections and when Ken lost. A bit of a silver lining for them there.

So – off we go – finding our way around a changed political map of London with a Mayor who may garner affection – but can he run London? We will see.

What did you think of the BBC TV local elections results program on Thursday night?

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Well – the BBC TV coverage of the local election results has come in for a lot of flack, particulary for the Jeremy Vince / American Wild West shootout stuff. Of course the bit I appeared in was perfect! But overall – did the coverage give the depth of information you were interested in? Was it a successful attempt to make election results interesting? Or an awful trivialisation?

Vote in my poll and have your say – and of course comments welcome too.
http://www.libertyresearch.org.uk/rp/34
(One vote per IP address)

Local election results – half-time verdict

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Soooooooooooooooo – not bad at all! That’s my verdict on how we did in the local elections in England and Wales based on the results in so far. We gained seats off Tories and Labour and won seats right across the country. Gaining St Albans against Tories and Hull against Labour was a good message of how we are the only national party. However – losing Pendle wasn’t great. Shame to have missed taking Oldham, Warrington and Cheltenham by just one seat in each of them – but that’s the name of the game. Seeing Labour’s disastrous result – pushed into third place by us – was pretty cheering.

Overall – I would say pretty good for Lib Dems, disastrous for Labour and encouraging for the Tories. I don’t think any of this exactly fortells what will happen in a General Election which could be two years away still – but lord knows Gordon has a lot of ground to make up and so needs a lot of time to do so. Those fielding the coverage on TV for Labour keep saying they are learning and listening. It’s going to take more than that!

Overall, it is three party politics – the percentages blast out that fact! I just wish the coverage all year round honoured that the way the voters do.

It's polling day!

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Well – out with the lark delivering our ‘Good Morning’ bright and breezy leaflets to remind everyone that today is the day you can VOTE for Mayor, constituency rep and list member for London Government!

I was elected through the list vote in 2000 and 2004 – that’s the third vote where you just get to put an X for against a party name. Monica Whyte is the Haringey / Enfield constituency Liberal Democrat candidate – so an X next to her name for that vote would be good. And then obviously X for Brian Paddick for Mayor! You get a second choice too.

Anyway – off I go again to pound the streets and knock on doors until 10pm tonight. Then later I am doing broadcast coverage from City Hall around 1am. Just hope I am able to keep my eyes open!

Don’t forget to vote! Polls open until 10pm – no polling card needed. Postal votes can also still be returned by handing them in at a polling station.

Not sure where you should vote in Haringey? Give our team a call on 07763 745 402 and they can tell you – and also give you a lift to the polling station – and back home again! – if you need one.