Bob Piper has been a Labour Councillor for the Abbey
Ward in Sandwell, West Midlands, for 10 years. He is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club and a follower of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The views expressed here are mine in a personal capacity, not those of the Labour Party, Sandwell MBC, Aston Villa or Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Get it! Mine... just mine!
Yes, Nick Clegg is going to concentrate Lib Dem resources (stop sniggering at the back) on targetting Labour seats. Apparently he is going to "rejig the party organisation" which should go down well with his aging Lothario backbencher John Hemming, who has always been keen on a bit of "jigging"). This is, according to the BBC story, on the back of their campaign at the last General Election to unseat senior Tories such as David Davis (whatever happened to him?) and Theresa May. Not that Cleggy has given up on savaging the Tories... "the truth is there are huge parts of the country where they haven't got a hope."
I suspect the news that the ineffective Liberal Democrats, pushed into 4th place by the Tories of all people, in Glasgow East last week, are going to concentrate their three pounds two shillings and sixpence on Labour targets is probably not the worst news Gordon Brown has had in the last few days.
Before you cast aspersions at the Lib Dems by election capabilities. I seem to remember Labour with a 13500 majority getting stuffed by the SNP.
One should remember that £3 2s and 6d is in fact considerably more money to spend than desperate Labour with an £20 million overdraft and £0 0s and 0p to spend on a General Election.
Oh and the huge parts of the country where the Lib Dems haven't a hope is probably a lot less that the areas where Labour are going to get hammered.
Paul Sandars said:
July 30, 2008 11:46 AM | permalink
I had expected that the Liberals might- just might- have begun this work prior to now; and the apparent incompetence on the part of the sly fox Lord Rennard at the Glasgow East by-election means that I am thinking whether they really have lost their touch.
I would not endorse www.electoralcalculus.co.uk entirely for a variety of reasons, but look there and you would expect the Liberals to be losing seats to the Tories down south and gaining dozens from Labour in the north.
Well, they are predicted to take the massive total of ermm...one seat from Labour- one seat too many though; but indeed lose dozens to the Tories. Including one Sheffield seat held by a Mr.Clegg.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
Bob Piper said:
July 30, 2008 11:56 AM | permalink
Godzilla... how do you spell, na da de na na?
It would spare you having to think of that insightful analysis you entertain us all with.
Perhaps the current slump in Lib Dem fortunes is due to all the problems they have experienced running the country for the last 11 years.
Slight typo there Bob, You typed "Perhaps the current slump in Lib Dem fortunes is due to all the problems they have experienced running the country for the last 11 years."
Surely you meant "Perhaps the current slump in Lib Dem fortunes is due to all the problems they have experienced running down the country for the last 11 years."
What a total Duffer Clogg has turned out to be.The silly sod has got a lower public profile than Sir Menzies of Alzhemiers enjoyed during his shambolic leadership. The Lib Dems can "win anywhere" has now turned into the knowledge they are going to get a pasting from the Tories in the South and will struggle to hold the 'Iraq factor' vote they achieved in 2005.My prediction is the LDs will lose around half the seats they currently hold at the next election.
July 30, 2008 11:22 AM | permalink
Before you cast aspersions at the Lib Dems by election capabilities. I seem to remember Labour with a 13500 majority getting stuffed by the SNP.
One should remember that £3 2s and 6d is in fact considerably more money to spend than desperate Labour with an £20 million overdraft and £0 0s and 0p to spend on a General Election.
Oh and the huge parts of the country where the Lib Dems haven't a hope is probably a lot less that the areas where Labour are going to get hammered.