How long can they get away with it?
Well, the Lib Dems got away with yet another deceitful and misleading campaign in Bromley and Chislehurst. I hope that Bob Neill's excellent victory speech will at least make some sit up and take notice about the way they campaign, at the very least the media should use it as the basis for an analysis of Lib Dem methods.
It is impossible to say that either politics or the Conservatives come out of this well.
Politics has lost because the Lib Dems success was, once again, built on a framework of win at all costs. Whilst they didn't win, their campaign will be used by them as an endorsement of the sort of politics that everyone (except the Lib Dems) want to see the back of. The Conservatives lost because, although we kept the seat, we failed to find an effective way of countering the Lib Dems destructive methods yet again.
Last night was an unremitting disaster for the Labour Party and highlights that their core vote has collapsed. Even more concerning is the total lack of effort that the Labour Party put in to campaigning. This may have been deliberate, because it inevitably mean that some of their natural vote would go to the Lib Dems, but it may also be that they simply could not find the grass roots campaigners who were willing to work for them. I suspect the latter, and every aspect of last night's result backs up my belief that the Labour Party is slowly heading towards becoming the 3rd party of British Politics.
It is impossible to say that either politics or the Conservatives come out of this well.
Politics has lost because the Lib Dems success was, once again, built on a framework of win at all costs. Whilst they didn't win, their campaign will be used by them as an endorsement of the sort of politics that everyone (except the Lib Dems) want to see the back of. The Conservatives lost because, although we kept the seat, we failed to find an effective way of countering the Lib Dems destructive methods yet again.
Last night was an unremitting disaster for the Labour Party and highlights that their core vote has collapsed. Even more concerning is the total lack of effort that the Labour Party put in to campaigning. This may have been deliberate, because it inevitably mean that some of their natural vote would go to the Lib Dems, but it may also be that they simply could not find the grass roots campaigners who were willing to work for them. I suspect the latter, and every aspect of last night's result backs up my belief that the Labour Party is slowly heading towards becoming the 3rd party of British Politics.
posted by Martin Curtis at 11:42 AM
3 Comments:
Is there anything more substantive to Tory whinging about "personal abuse" than the "Three Jobs Bob" jibe? Is it not the case that the Lib Dems had a more energetic campaign and a more energetic candidate than Bob and reaped the benefits?
Given the Cheadle example, where the Tory attack leaflets were designed to give the impression the Lib Dem was a rapist, isn't this the pot calling the kettle black?
The Tories must know they fought an inept campaign, and very nearly paid the price for it. I don't think Bob Neill's speech will have won over many floating voters - it was the epitome of smug complacent golf-club Conservatism.
Honest is not inept, it is honest. However, it is difficult to fight against a tissue of lies deceit and misinformation and maintain the moral high ground.
I will maintain that the Conservative mistake was to undersell David cameron at a time when he is high in the polls.
As for Cheadle, I am no expert in what went on there, but if the Conservatives fought one dirty campaign, that fades into obscurity, when you consider it alongside what the Lib Dems are dong day in, day out in local by-elections across the Country. I know I am seeing it in my own Distrct at the moment and have seen it elsewhere.
I do honestly feel for you lot. Lib dems are the worst of the worst when it comes to by elections.
They lied and deceived people in dunfermiline and I won't even get onto the way in which they behaved during the elections in Manchester.
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