Well done to omnipresent Debbie
Congratulations to Labour’s Debbie Abrahams for her fine victory in the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election. But let’s keep an eye on her second homes allowance. This is the third time she has stood in a constituency and she has claimed to live in two of them. When she stood for Rochdale council, she said she lived there, and when she stood in Colne Valley she said she lived there. This is despite the fact that records show she has lived in one house for the past 25 years. Perhaps, like Jesus Christ, she is capable of being in all places at one time, and in all of our hearts.
Showing posts with label by-election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label by-election. Show all posts
Monday, January 17, 2011
Rod Liddle On The "Omnipresent Debbie Abrahams"
May Robert Murdoch forgive me for providing a peek into the wondrous world behind The Times' Firewall but here the section of Rod Liddle's column on the "Omnipresnet" Debbie Abrahams...
Friday, January 14, 2011
Old & Sad, Good News For The Tories
One of the funniest things about by-elections is the sight of the defeated parties' members and supporters attempting to spin the result positively.
So, given the Tories finished in 3rd place with their share of the vote plummeting to just 12.8%, it is beholden on me to pronounce the result a success for Cameron & Co.
Of course, it wasn't a success for the Tories, although, arguably, you can put their poor result down to tactical voting (in this case Tories positively voting for the LibDem coalition candidate). However, there is one silver lining in Labour's victory for their opponents.
When analysing whether a result is good or bad for your "team" in any game, business or election, you have to consider what the alternative result would have meant. In the case of Oldham East and Saddleworth, Ed Miliband absolutely had to win it. His leadership is being questioned by many in his own party who have been very uncomfortable with having the Unions' candidate foisted upon them. If Miliband had been the first opposition party leader in 30 years to lose an MP in a by-election then his position would have been very shaky. He could well have faced a rebellion and been replaced.
So, as desperate an attempt to see a positive in this result for the Coalition as this post may be, the truth is that, it is now looking increasingly likely that Ed Miliband will survive until the next election.
Now that really is good news for Labour's opponents.
So, given the Tories finished in 3rd place with their share of the vote plummeting to just 12.8%, it is beholden on me to pronounce the result a success for Cameron & Co.
Of course, it wasn't a success for the Tories, although, arguably, you can put their poor result down to tactical voting (in this case Tories positively voting for the LibDem coalition candidate). However, there is one silver lining in Labour's victory for their opponents.
When analysing whether a result is good or bad for your "team" in any game, business or election, you have to consider what the alternative result would have meant. In the case of Oldham East and Saddleworth, Ed Miliband absolutely had to win it. His leadership is being questioned by many in his own party who have been very uncomfortable with having the Unions' candidate foisted upon them. If Miliband had been the first opposition party leader in 30 years to lose an MP in a by-election then his position would have been very shaky. He could well have faced a rebellion and been replaced.
So, as desperate an attempt to see a positive in this result for the Coalition as this post may be, the truth is that, it is now looking increasingly likely that Ed Miliband will survive until the next election.
Now that really is good news for Labour's opponents.
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