May

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31552369.post-86437825732526014092008-05-18T22:14:00.005+02:002008-05-23T09:09:38.404+02:00MayMay 23 I couldn't have scripted a more ineffective Labour campaign if I'd been writing the election literature myself. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_sPrO0iw9Jr0/SDZtI9xjh8I/AAAAAAAAAys/ZVlAeBVWWQQ/s1600-h/350stephenmccabebrown.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_sPrO0iw9Jr0/SDZtI9xjh8I/AAAAAAAAAys/ZVlAeBVWWQQ/s400/350stephenmccabebrown.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203466420261980098" /></a> Gordon Brown and Steve McCabe are my heroes of the day. May 22 <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_sPrO0iw9Jr0/SDUylNxjh7I/AAAAAAAAAyk/GCvKZB7QmVs/s1600-h/johnterry.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_sPrO0iw9Jr0/SDUylNxjh7I/AAAAAAAAAyk/GCvKZB7QmVs/s400/johnterry.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203120559430535090" /></a> May 21 Two Michaelangelo quotes. 'Faith in one's self... is the best and safest course.' 'The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we hit it.' May 18 Something completely different. Kasparov telling it like it is. <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1Z9g7jN3Kso&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1Z9g7jN3Kso&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> May 12 It seems that in the one isolated spot where Labour won on May 1st, <a href="http://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/articles/1/2745">they can't take power</a>. Hehe. May 8 Outgoing Labour councillors and malcontent Labour MPs have been doing the Conservative Party an incredible service since the local elections. They've all been busy spouting myriad complaints about their party's leadership of the country. In the wake of poll losses this serves to make them look like hypocrites not martyrs and when Labour politicians are giving you reasons not to vote Labour why should the public at large. The result of this infighting - <a href="http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91211-1315451,00.html">Labour's lowest ever poll rating</a>. They are in a hole, but I think that after a pasting in Crewe the Labour Party will wake up and get more disciplined. can't see the Tory leader increasing further. May 7 I'm caught in two minds whether to have a mini-break from politics or keep the momentum going. What I should be doing is trying to recruit new members to the party which should be like shooting fish in a barrel, but the Conservative social diary looks pretty full. Speaking of which, I'm looking forward to catching up with Maggie Throup and some of the Bromsgrove CF group at an event this Friday. May 6 I want to say hi to Geoff V who based on his frequent appearances in the mybloglog avatar list on the left has been a most frequent visitor to my blog through thick and thin. I wonder what makes him return? (See comments for Geoff's reply) May 4 On PoliticalBetting Labour MP Nick Palmer made the comment that Labour has kept the ‘Guardianista’ and ethnic votes but has lost the white working class vote. The results in Birmingham and my time spent campaigning there corroborate this theory. Take the seat of <a href="http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/birminghamerdington">Birmingham Erdington</a>, home of Sion <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=G1wdcF8xCBk&feature=related">'Just Like You'</a> Simon with a 10,000 and 30% majority from 2005 that doesn't even feature on any Tory target list. Check out what has happened in the locals between 2004* and 2008 here. Erdington Con 2678 (1441) Lab 1187 (1845) Kingstanding Con 1296 (823) Lab 1376 (1585) Stockland Green Con 1946 (1077) Lab 1874 (1746) Tyburn Con 1125 (1016) Lab 1144 (1507) Total Conservative 7045 (4757) Labour 5581 (6673) * 2004 results in brackets taking the second placed Tory/Labourite in the all-out elections that took place then. CCHQ - it's time to select a candidate here. May 3 My old friend <a href="http://www.petersmallbone.com/">Peter Smallbone</a> won the final council seat in Birmingham Edgbaston. All 12 councillors in this Labour-held seat are now Conservative. The full results for the Edgbaston constituency were: Bartley Green Ward - Vivienne Barton - Con Hold Majority 2418 Edgbaston Ward - Deirdre Alden - Con Hold - Majority 1517 Harborne Ward - John Alden - Con Hold - Majority 1328 Quinton Ward - Peter Smallbone - Con Gain - Majority 376 A full on-the-spot report from Deirdre Alden our PPC in Edgbaston is <a href="http://deirdrealden.blogspot.com/2008/05/clean-sweep.html">here</a>. May 2 After a very very hard fought campaign all four seats in Northfield were won by Conservatives last night!! This means that there is now a full slate of Conservative Cllrs in Northfield. The majorities are as follows: WARD CANDIDATE MAJORITY Northfield Les Lawrence 1308 CON HOLD Kings Norton Geoff Sutton 853 CON HOLD Weoley Eddie Freeman 598 *CON GAIN* Longbridge Ken Wood 277 *CON GAIN* May 1 Good luck to Deirdre Alden John Alden Bob Beauchamp Matt Bennett Jenny Brewer Nigel Dawkins Eddie Freeman Graham Green Len Gregory Andrew Hardie Bob Harvey Carl Husted Maura Judges Gary Sambrook Derek Johnson Sam Pearce Peter Smallbone Neville Summerfield Geoff Sutton Ken Wood and any other Tory candidates tonight... Update - those in bold won seats from Labour! Hip hip hoorah.Praguetoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16520923731691837948noreply@blogger.com