Author Archives: Hilary Stephenson

Oldham East & Saddleworth: It’s already on

We currently expect a parliamentary by-election for the Oldham East & Saddleworth constituency to take place well before Christmas. This will be one of the shorter by-election campaigns we have seen but it is important that people in Oldham are not left unrepresented after what has happened there.

Within 24 hours of Phil Woolas being found guilty of breaking election law last Friday, we had a new campaign HQ up and running. There is an experienced campaign team already in place: veterans of many victories, including the last by-election in this area, Littleborough and Saddleworth in 1995.

My experience of by-elections (and …

Posted in Parliamentary by-elections | Tagged , and | 14 Comments

The signs from Liberal Democrat voters

Whilst political pundits struggle to fathom the implications of coalition and ‘new politics’, the signs are that Lib Dem voters are optimistic and that they are responding well to the new vision. It seems that when the new order combines with a strong local campaign and a candidate who offers the traditional Lib Dem promise of ‘service and action all year round’ success follows.

A series of elections over the last two weeks brought first an encouraging result in the extended Parliamentary election in Thirsk and Malton. This being a safe Tory seat with a notional majority of over 14,000 and …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 10 Comments

A quick report on how it’s going in Crewe and Nantwich

An excellent day yesterday with Nick Clegg and a lot of press interest. We’ve got a big operation going and had a very good number of helpers in today already.

This is a really important weekend – the team proved yesterday that we are well set up to deal with large numbers. We just need lots of people every day!

The news from the doorsteps is encouraging. It’s been a pleasure to be out and about. The big Elizabeth Shenton posters are going down a storm – as is Elizabeth herself with both the team and the public.

I’ve seldom come across …

Posted in Parliamentary by-elections | Tagged | 24 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Roland
    @Peter Martin - I was responding to the curved ? ball Jeff throw out about Motability: If they can't charge VAT then its okay to reclaim the VAT rather than sim...
  • Peter Martin
    @ Simon, "Low earners on the IOM pay tax at 21% compared to – I think – 20% in the UK" I don't know where you get your IOM figure from. It is easy eno...
  • Chris Cory
    I thought the draft strategy motion was a definite step in the right direction, especially the recognition of the need to engage rather more with the general me...
  • Peter Martin
    @ Paul, Your point about "Viking and Norse-Gael Roots" would apply to the Orkney and Western Islands. The population of the Northern Parts of Britain , inclu...
  • Simon Costain
    William le Scrope, King of Man, was murdered by Henry IV in 1399 whilst Scrope was on a private visit to Bristol. Thus the island became a crown possession in a...