Category Archives: Parliamentary by-elections

Stephen Tall

Norwich North poll date set for 23 July

By Stephen Tall | Tue 30th June 2009 - 9:15 am

The BBC has the story:

The date for the Norwich North by-election, triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Ian Gibson, is expected to be set for 23 July. … He had a majority of just over 5,000 at the last election.

The BBC understands that the writ for the election will be moved on Tuesday, with the poll set to be held two days after Parliament breaks up for its summer recess on 21 July.

Clearly Labour wants to get the expected loss of this seat out of the way at the height of summer, when MPs are away …

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Mark Pack

Rupert Read and the false allegations

By Mark Pack | Sun 28th June 2009 - 11:54 am

A bit of background for any Voice readers who either have seen some of the slightly elliptical comments posted in earlier threads by a couple of people about the past actions of Rupert Read, the Green party candiate for the Nowich North by-election.

Last year, Rupert Read accused a Liberal Democrat councillor, Judith Lubbock, of perjuring herself more than once. Given that perjury is a serious offence which can result in someone being jailed (see Jeffrey Archer), this is a pretty serious allegation. It was also wholly untrue.

Rupert Read subsequently had to apologise and withdraw the allegations he had made.

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Stephen Tall

Live from Norwich – ICM poll shows close result and Clegg stands by Lib Dem campaign

By Stephen Tall | Fri 26th June 2009 - 2:42 pm

Ladies and gentlemen, we have the first constituency poll of the Norwich North by-election campaign, and it shows a close contest in store. Before I give you the figures, though, it should come with two big health warnings. First, the poll’s sample size is very small – 500 overall, and fewer than 300 for the voting figures. Secondly, polls this early in a by-election campaign, and when a polling date isn’t yet known, have proven unreliable predictors in the past. With those caveats firmly in place, here it is (comparisons with 2005 general election result in brackets):

Tories 34%(+1), Labour 30%(-15),

…

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Stephen Tall

Iain Dale’s EXCLUSIVE Norwich North story: less than meets the eye

By Stephen Tall | Wed 24th June 2009 - 6:40 pm

Tory blogger Iain Dale got very over-excited last night with his EXCLUSIVE article, Clegg Approached Martin Bell & EDP Editor to Stand in Norwich North. Sorry to say it, Iain, but I’m a little underwhelmed. Here’s why…

First of all, Iain has hardly covered himself in glory in his coverage to date of the Lib Dem by-election campaign in Norwich North. He made a bit of a prat of himself last week, when accusing the party’s candidate April Pond of “whoring” herself around Norfolk, as she was already selected for the new parliamentary seat of Broadland. (And yes, that’s …

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The Voice

April Pond selected for Norwich North

By The Voice | Sun 21st June 2009 - 7:59 pm

Congratulations to April Pond on her selection today as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Norwich North by-election.

Local campaigner and successful businesswoman April Pond said,

“I’m delighted to be selected for Norwich North and have the opportunity to follow the work of Ian Gibson.

“Talking to Norwich people, it is clear that they are angry and disillusioned with the way things are at the moment. People are concerned about jobs losses and practical worries and see this Government as failing miserably when they should be working hard to put things right. MPs’ expenses and an inability to put in place practical

…

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Helen Duffett

Death by bar chart? Tories plotting to kill in Norwich North

By Helen Duffett | Mon 15th June 2009 - 10:39 am

ConservativeHome proudly announces the start of the Tory by-election campaign in Norwich North by posting Tories begin Norwich North campaign with attempt to kill off third parties.

And this is how they plan to do it:
Conservative bar chart for Norwich North
Look at the heights of the bars – they don’t even match the percentages. The Labour and Lib Dem results have been depressed and Green and UKIP have been artificially inflated.

From ConservativeHome:

Within minutes of Ian Gibson announcing his resignation as MP for Norwich North

…

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Stephen Tall

Just when you thought the last 24 hours’ news couldn’t get more bizarre…

By Stephen Tall | Fri 5th June 2009 - 4:23 pm

Labour’s MP for Norwich North Ian Gibson has quit the House of Commons with immediate effect, triggering a by-election. The Norwich Evening News has his full statement, in which he makes clear his anger at Labour’s handling of disciplinary action following the Daily Telegraph’s allegations over his expenses claims:

It has been my great honour to have served the people of Norwich North as their MP since 1997. … I wish to publicly thank the hundreds of people who sent me messages of support. The decision of the NEC leaves me today bowed but not broken. However, I believe that

…

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Alex Foster

Cameron / Clegg yawn

By Alex Foster | Fri 20th February 2009 - 10:13 am

The lovely Iain Dale interviewed David Cameron the other day, and has posted extracts of the interview on his blog.

He’s also, depending on your point of view, EITHER courteously pointed out to the LDV team that Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg is mentioned in passing, OR has engaged in a massive blog link whoring project to stir it within the Lib Dems who will hate what Cameron had to say.

Here’s what their dear leader had to say about our dear leader:

ID: Do you think Nick Clegg is in the wrong party? ?

DC: I don’t really know him well

…

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Stephen Tall

What does Glenrothes mean for the Lib Dems?

By Stephen Tall | Fri 7th November 2008 - 10:05 am

In the scheme of things, it seems unlikely that this week will be best remembered by history for a by-election in Scotland; but, still, the Glenrothes was (as politicians under the kosh of bad polls are prone to note) about real votes in a real election.

And the Lib Dems tanked. The party’s vote dropped by 10%, our meagre 947 votes failing to save our deposit, with the added ignominy of finishing behind the Tories. None of which can be any reflection on our candidate, Harry Wills. But it must cause the rest of us to reflect. In a

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The Voice

Glenrothes: thank you

By The Voice | Fri 7th November 2008 - 8:43 am

A copy of the thank you message from by-election agent Andrew Reeves has winged its way to LDV Towers:

What a great effort everyone has put into the campaign over the last 75 days. Yes, we moved into the HQ in Markinch back in August! I just wanted to say a huge and sincere thank you.

We have had great help from all over the UK, including visits from activists and Parliamentarians and many of you have helped in other ways as well.

We could not have run this campaign without you.  Thank you.

As with the previous Scottish by-election, …

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Stephen Tall

Is the SNP a shoo-in for Glenrothes? (Or is Labour lowering expectations?)

By Stephen Tall | Thu 6th November 2008 - 9:38 am

The Daily Mail’s Ben Brogan at least is convinced that Labour are down-and-out in today’s Scottish by-election:

Labour word is that Glenrothes is a lost cause. The SNP will take it by 1500, give or take 500. I don’t detect a Brown Central attempt to prepare a “shock” win. Instead they say that had they had a few days more it might have made a difference, and that without Gordon and Sarah Brown’s personal intervention the result would be far worse. So the good news is that defeat will be masked by the Obama euphoria.

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Mark Pack

SNP by-election candidate says he doesn’t want to be an MP for more than five years

By Mark Pack | Tue 28th October 2008 - 11:07 pm

The Daily Telegraph has the rather odd story about Glenrothes candidate Peter Grant.

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Alex Foster

Glenrothes update

By Alex Foster | Tue 28th October 2008 - 10:36 am

A few members of our forum have mentioned the lack of coverage of the Glenrothes by-election, and by a curious coincidence, I received an update email from the campaign manager Andrew Reeves at almost the exact same time.

I was sat in the by-election HQ in Markinch, Glenrothes on Saturday afternoon with Tavish Scott MSP, the new Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats looking at the article in the Guardian, where they have said “even the Tory and the Lib Dem could lose their deposits.”

We have had this happen once this year, in the Glasgow East by-election, let us ensure it

…

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Andrew Reeves

Glenrothes

By Andrew Reeves | Fri 29th August 2008 - 4:54 am

Now in my third month in Scotland, I’m on my second by-election.

Glenrothes has come around following the tragic death of John McDougall. It is one of four Parliamentary seats in Fife; we hold two of them, Sir Menzies Campbell in North East Fife and Willie Rennie in Dunfermline (which as you will recall we won in 2006 in the last by-election in Fife). Labour hold the other – it is Gordon Brown’s seat.

So, I’m asking you today to come and help us here in Fife.  I’m writing this piece as I watch Barack Obama’s speech knowing (and being jealous of) …

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The Voice

John Macdougall MP dies

By The Voice | Wed 13th August 2008 - 10:34 am

John Macdougall, Labour MP for Glenrothes in Fife, has died from cancer of the lungs. The Press Association has a biography here. Our sympathies are with his family and friends.

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Stephen Tall

The question isn’t: ‘Should Labour replace Gordon Brown?’ It’s ‘Why would anyone want to succeed him?’

By Stephen Tall | Fri 25th July 2008 - 11:10 am

Last night’s stunning SNP victory in Glasgow East caps one of the worst six months for the Labour party in at least 25 years. Policy gaffes and u-turns; a deeply unpopular leader; and catastrophic election defeats across the country – it doesn’t get much worse than this.

The time has now passed when the question could genuinely be asked whether it is in Labour’s interest to replace Gordon Brown as leader. The answer is just too obvious: of course they should, and (if it can be achieved in a dignified way) the sooner the better. It isn’t just a matter …

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Stephen Tall

Glasgow East and the Lib Dems

By Stephen Tall | Fri 25th July 2008 - 10:46 am

Well, let’s not pretend it was a great result: losing three-quarters of your support is rarely likely to cheer a party up. But it would be equally silly to read anything of great significance into it, either. As I pointed out yesterday, in the 1999 Hamilton South by-election the Lib Dems trailed in a pretty dire sixth place: it meant diddly-squat for the party’s fortunes at the subsequent general election.

Yes, it’s true, the Tories managed only to suffer a small drop in support. But, then, it’s not much of a surprise to anyone to learn that the …

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Mark Pack

SNP win in Glasgow East

By Mark Pack | Fri 25th July 2008 - 7:47 am

The result:

SNP 11,277 43.1% (+26.1%)
Labour 10,912 41.7% (-19.0)
Conservative 1,639 6.3% (-0.6)
Liberal Democrat 915 3.5% (-8.3)

Majority 365 1.4%
Turnout 42.3% (-6.0)

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Stephen Tall

Open (speculation) thread: What do you think will happen in Glagow East – and will it matter?

By Stephen Tall | Thu 24th July 2008 - 1:07 pm

What is it about parliamentary by-elections? You wait ages for one, then four come along at once. Hot-on-the-heels of Crewe and Nantwich, Henley and Haltemprice & Howden is Glasgow East, theoretically at least a safe Labour seat. Here was the result at the 2005 general election:

David Marshall, Labour 18,775 (61%)
Lachlan McNeill, Scottish National Party 5,268 (17%)
David Jackson, Liberal Democrat 3,665 (12%)
Carl Thomson, Conservative 2,135 (7%)
George Savage, Scottish Socialist Party 1,096 (4%)
Labour majority: 13,507 (44%), Turnout: 48%

It’s clear enough this is the proverbial two-horse race for first position, with the SNP apparently breathing down the Labour party’s neck. It would …

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Stephen Tall

Glasgow East Lib Dem candidate “one to watch”

By Stephen Tall | Tue 22nd July 2008 - 1:33 pm

There’s high praise for the Lib Dems’ Glasgow East candidate Ian Robertson in The Herald today:

Yesterday he had Scots grandees Sir Menzies Campbell and Lord Wallace in to help, plus deputy leader Vince Cable, but he knows he won’t be giving up the teaching career any time soon.

Watch him on any of the televised hustings and you’ll be impressed. Most journalists have scored him as an excellent candidate and one to watch if a more winnable seat comes up.

Meanwhile, The Herald also reports on possible trouble for Labour following allegations that “the daughter of retiring Glasgow East MP …

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Andrew Reeves

Update from Glasgow East

By Andrew Reeves | Mon 14th July 2008 - 11:18 pm

The poll from The Daily Telegraph shows Labour holding the seat with the Liberal Democrats in third place, but importantly ahead of the Tories.

This has been an interesting campaign and one where there has been such immense media interest.

There are four TV appearances for our candidate Ian Robertson, with the first having taken place as you can see here. The Scotsman rated Ian as coming out best in the debate, giving him 9/10:

Emerged as the surprise star of the show. He was effective, forthright and intervened sharply across his opponents.

Our sincere thanks go to all of the …

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Stephen Tall

Haltemprice and Howden: what lessons to be learned?

By Stephen Tall | Fri 11th July 2008 - 10:07 am

The close-of-poll predictions last night proved to be pretty accurate: David Davis easily won in yesterday’s Haltemprice and Howden by-election, with a solid 72% of the vote. The turnout was 34%, and the Greens pipped the English Democrats to second place by 44 votes, both polling 7%. No other candidates retained their deposits.

• David Michael Davis – Conservative Party 17,113, 72%
• Shan Oakes – Green Party 1,758, 7%
• Joanne Robinson – English Democrats 1,714, 7%
• Tess Culnane – National Front Britain for the British 544, 2%
• Gemma Dawn Garrett – Miss Great Britain Party 521, 2% …

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Stephen Tall

Davis wins by-election with 75% vote on a 35% turnout

By Stephen Tall | Fri 11th July 2008 - 1:07 am

Well, that’s what the Yorkshire Post is saying, anyway, as of 12.30 am:

David Davis was tonight expected to easily win the Haltemprice and Howden by-election, with supporters predicting he would pick up at least 75 percent of the vote. …

Turnout was annouced officially as 34.5 percent – less than half that at the 2005 General Election, where 70.2 percent of constituents voted.

Mr Davis is expected to pick up between 15,000 and 16,000 votes, giving him a majority of about 10,000 to 12,000 – doubling that of the 5,116 majority he picked up in 2005.

The biggest surprise of the night

…

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Stephen Tall

Open (speculation) thread: What do you think will happen in Haltemprice and Howden?

By Stephen Tall | Thu 10th July 2008 - 2:00 pm

It’s the day of the most bizarre by-election of the year. Exactly one month after David Davis shocked the political world by quitting the Tory front bench and Parliament in protest at Labour’s attempts to push through 42 days detention without trial, the voters of Haltemprice and Howden today deliver their verdict.

Will they judge Mr Davis’s move a brave, principled stance by turning out in force and giving him a whopping mandate? Or will they judge it all a vanity-exercise, a waste of taxpayers’ time and money, and simply stay away or register a protest vote with a fringe …

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Stephen Tall

David Davis APOLOGY alert: Grauniad confirms slip-up

By Stephen Tall | Thu 10th July 2008 - 9:53 am

Yesterday I noted with some dismay a quote attributed to David Davis in The Guardian, suggesting that the Lib Dems had ‘funked’ putting up a candidate in today’s Haltemprice and Howden by-election – when in fact Mr Davis and Nick Clegg came to an agreement that the Lib Dems would not contest the seat before the former Tory shadow home secretary announced his resignation.

I’ve just received the following email from Martin Wainwright, the Guardian journalist who authored the piece:

Just to alert you asap to the fact that the quote attributed to David Davis by me about the LIb

…

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Stephen Tall

The day David Davis threatened to punch Mark Oaten

By Stephen Tall | Wed 9th July 2008 - 10:27 pm

As revealed by Mark Oaten over at the Indy’s Open House blog:

We haven’t always been the best of friends: he once threatened to punch my nose in, and I’ve described him as disgusting.

The reason:

When I came close to wobbling on 90 days he held firm. (That’s also when he informed me that if I did shift my position he would punch me in the nose.)

Which seems fair enough to me. And Mark’s endorsement of Mr Davis couldn’t be warmer:

I, for one, support his decision wholeheartedly, and this week I went up to canvass for him in Haltemprice and Howden,

…

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Stephen Tall

David Davis: a bounder and a braggart

By Stephen Tall | Wed 9th July 2008 - 4:27 pm

UPDATE: There is an update to this story, published the following day on Lib Dem Voice, in which The Guardian makes clear that the quote on which this posting was based was not uttered by David Davis.

David Davis has had many warm words written about him by Lib Dems – myself included – since he took his decision to quit Parliament to fight for his beliefs in civil liberties, and most notably Labour’s obscene push to detain without charge for up to 42 days.

True, there have also been some harsh words written about him – but

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Terry Gilbert

Opinion: Greens may do well in Haltemprice and Howden

By Terry Gilbert | Wed 9th July 2008 - 2:49 pm

The decision by the Lib Dem leadership to allow David Davis to resign in the comfortable knowledge that no Liberal Democrat would oppose him was a strange one. Without Lib Dem acquiescence, the by-election almost certainly would not have taken place. As it is, it seems unlikely to me to do much to fracture the Tories’ current revival, and it may allow the party’s opponents to gain valuable ground, and not just in Haltemprice and Howden.

Who, then, might do well enough in the by-election to gain ground while the Liberal Democrat by-election machine twiddles its thumbs? Could someone …

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Andrew Reeves

Glasgow East latest

By Andrew Reeves | Sun 6th July 2008 - 5:48 pm

Well, they say a week is a long time in politics! Wednesday saw the shock resignation of our Scottish Party Leader, Nicol Stephen, on Thursday we selected East End Ian Robertson for the Glasgow East by-election and then on Friday Labour selected nobody because the favourite didn’t turn up … you couldn’t make this up, could you?

The Liberal Democrats have a great candidate in Ian Robertson, a great campaign office at 888 Shettleston Road, Glasgow, G32 7XN and a fantastic team coming together.

If you look at the posters on the lampposts it really is only the SNP and the Liberal …

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Andrew Reeves

News from Glasgow East

By Andrew Reeves | Thu 3rd July 2008 - 5:16 pm

Just three and a half weeks after moving to Edinburgh to take up my new post as Deputy Director of Campaigns for Scotland, I find myself involved in another major election campaign!

We have selected born and bred Glaswegian Ian Robertson as our candidate to fight the by-election, and although the media are saying it is a two horse race we should remember that the SNP were in fact only 1,603 votes ahead of us in 2005.

This is an election that will be fought on the local issues that matter to the people in the East End of Glasgow – unemployment, …

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