Category Archives: Parliamentary by-elections

The Voice

Ian Robertson selected for Glasgow East

By The Voice | Thu 3rd July 2008 - 4:27 pm

Glasgow Liberal Democrats have chosen local teacher Ian Robertson to be the party’s candidate in the parliamentary by-election on July 24th.

The full press release is on the Glasgow East Liberal Democrats website.

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Opinion: The devil is in the detail

By Martin Land | Tue 1st July 2008 - 7:45 am

On the whole, Lib Dems can probably be broadly satisfied with our current performance. The latest poll I’ve seen (from ComRes in the Independent) puts us on 18% – so, despite a significant Tory revival, we have not been squeezed.

One might reasonably argue that we should have done better out of Labour’s current demise, but my suspicion is that things will tighten as the general election comes closer, and Nick Clegg – who impresses me more and more – gets the greater media attention he deserves.

But that’s a pretty passive approach. How could the party be more …

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Gwyn Griffiths

But Mr Gladstone, are you local enough?

By Gwyn Griffiths | Mon 30th June 2008 - 1:45 pm

It would appear that the ‘local’ credentials of the candidates proved to be something of a talking-point in the recent Henley by-election.

Certainly, in Crewe & Nantwich it was a constant theme in the election literature. The Conservatives went so far as to claim that their man was “the only local candidate” – despite the fact that he lived further from the constituency than his Lib Dem rival, and that one of the ‘fringe’ candidates had lived all his life in Crewe! But, as a rather more experienced campaigner put it to me – with a shrug of his …

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Chris Rennard

Chris Rennard writes about the Henley result…

By Chris Rennard | Fri 27th June 2008 - 6:29 pm

I am enjoying this debate and for the record:

1) I don’t always comment in detail on things read by our opponents – but I do welcome any constructive debate within the party on these issues – especially contributions from those who also work hard in these campaigns.

2) I am not generally “hands on” in the organisation and management of our by-elections these days (unlike when I was Director of Campaigns & Elections 1989-2003 or a member of the team in various by-elections from Edge Hill in 1979 to Greenwich in 1987). But as Chief Executive (in the structure debated and …

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Stephen Tall

Not had your fill of Henley analysis yet?

By Stephen Tall | Fri 27th June 2008 - 3:35 pm

Then why not seek out former Lib Dem media chief Mark Littlewood’s analysis in today’s Telegraph? I don’t agree with it all, but here’s a thought-provoking extract to chew on:

The truth is that the Liberal Democrats have yet to develop a compelling narrative to deal with the threat posed by Cameron – and with many Liberal MPs defending small majorities over the Tories in the south of England, the threat is very real indeed. Many may now conclude that a record of being a hardworking constituency MP and championing local causes will not be enough to save them in

…

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Stephen Tall

What does Henley mean for the Lib Dems?

By Stephen Tall | Fri 27th June 2008 - 10:26 am

“A bit disappointed” probably sums up the reaction of most Lib Dems on hearing the result from Henley. But it’s a response that deserves some cool, detached analysis – because the underlying message from Henley is more complex than either Lib Dems who throw up in their hands in despair, or Tories who bray in triumph, are currently admitting.

Reasons to be disappointed:

Well, they’re fairly obvious:

1. The party put in a big effort, fought a vigorous campaign, and had an excellent candidate in Stephen Kearney. We wanted to win – though, realistically, a 15% swing against the Tories in the current …

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The Voice

Chris Rennard on the Henley result

By The Voice | Fri 27th June 2008 - 8:54 am

For those who missed it, here is the result of the Henley by-election:

John Howell (Conservative): 19,796 (57%, +3%)
Stephen Kearney (Liberal Democrat): 9,680 (28%, +2%)
Mark Stevenson (Green Party): 1,321 (4%, +1%)
Timothy Rait (British National Party): 1,243 (4%, +4%)
Richard McKenzie (Labour): 1,066 (3%, -12%)
Chris Adams (UK Independence Party): 843 (2%, n/c)
Bananaman Owen (Official Monster Raving Loony Party): 242 (1%)
Derek Allpass (English Democrats Party): 157 (0.5%)
Amanda Harrington (Independent Candidate): 128 (0.4%)
Dick Rodgers (Common Good): 121 (0.4%)
Louise Cole (Independent Candidate): 91 (0.3%)
Harry Bear (Fur Play Party): 73 (0.2%)
Turnout: 34,915 (50.5%, -18%).

Here’s Chris Rennard’s reaction in an email this morning to Lib Dem members:

Just a

…

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Stephen Tall

Henley by-election: open (speculation) thread

By Stephen Tall | Thu 26th June 2008 - 4:50 pm

There are just five hours til polls close in today’s by-election to decide who will succeed Boris Johnson as MP for Henley.

The widespread expectation is of a Tory victory – it is one of their safest seats – but there has been a great deal of energy behind Stephen Kearney and the Lib Dem team, so no-one’s ruling out a reduction in the Tory majority, or even a shock result.

Here’s what happened the last time the seat was contested, in 2005:
Conservative (Boris Johnson): 24,894 (54%)
Liberal Democrat (David Turner): 12,101 (26%)
Labour (Kaleem Saeed): 6,862 (15%)
Green (Mark Stevenson): …

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Mark Pack

Conservative troubles in Henley: today’s round-up

By Mark Pack | Tue 24th June 2008 - 5:59 pm

Not a good day to be on the Conservative by-election team by the looks of it.

In summary, we have legal action threatened over a magazine by David Cameron on Friday, which was within a matter of hours disowned by his media team (who told the media they were backing off it) and then today his candidate denied the threat was ever made. It wasn’t a very convincing denial mind you, what with it being made to the very journalist to whom Cameron had talked about the legal threat on Friday. Oops.

Oh and magazine publishers Archant are getting involved – but …

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Mike Smithson

Smithson’s view: So what’s the betting on Henley?

By Mike Smithson | Tue 24th June 2008 - 9:22 am

Sometimes I get criticism from Lib Dem activists over the way I operate my site, Politicalbetting.com, and the usual complaint is that I am not operating it in the interests of the party.

Well, I don’t run it to further the Lib Dems or any other faction. It’s moved to its position as the UK’s most-read political website (four times the page down-loads of Iain Dale) because it seeks to provide a dispassionate information service and discussion platform for those who like forecasting and betting on political outcomes.

Occasionally party campaigners have found it useful to …

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Mark Pack

A new film from Henley

By Mark Pack | Sun 22nd June 2008 - 11:19 am

Featuring a host of stars including Paddy “I never predict the outcome of elections, but this one feels good” Ashdown, Ming Campbell, Julia Goldsworthy, Nick Clegg, Brian Paddick, lots of balloons and several printing machines:

Details of how to help in the Henley by-election at are www.henleylibdems.org.uk

 

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Mark Pack

A quick political quiz for you

By Mark Pack | Fri 20th June 2008 - 4:48 pm

There are two political parties, let’s call them A and B.

Both of them distribute magazines in a by-election promoting their candidate.

Party A’s magazine says on it that it is publised by party A. Party B’s magazine doesn’t say anything similar.

The BBC’s verdict on party A’s magazine is that “It’s not designed to make you think that it’s not from a political party” (Peter Henley, TV news, Thursday evening) .

So which party and its leader do you think has complained about the other party’s magazine?

Yup, that would be David Cameron and the Conservatives saying how disgraceful it is for the Liberal …

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Mark Pack

Grant Shapps plays a by-election blinder

By Mark Pack | Fri 20th June 2008 - 2:47 pm

Sit back, kick off your shoes and enjoy a quality piece of political timing.

Day One: Conservative by-election candidate and county councillor John Howell misses two key votes on a proposed so-called eco-town in Oxfordshire.

Day Two: Conservative MP Grant Shapps speaks out against eco-towns in Parliament saying what an important issue it is.

But presumably not important enough for John Howell to turn up and vote on the topic?

Classy timing from Grant Shapps don’t you think?

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Stephen Tall

Cameron threatens to sue over Henley leaflet (yeah, right)

By Stephen Tall | Fri 20th June 2008 - 1:54 pm

The BBC is reporting:

The Conservatives are threatening legal action against the Lib Dems over the Henley by-election. They have written to the Lib Dems over allegations concerning a local community hospital, which they say their candidate has always supported.
Unless the Lib Dems withdraw a leaflet and remove claims from their website by noon, the Tories say they will sue. A Lib Dem spokesman said they would not be withdrawing the comments, adding: “We feel we are on firm ground”.

You can read the story on Stephen Kearney’s website here.

Separately, and more bizarrely (well, the story does involve Boris …

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Mark Pack

More trouble for the Tories in Henley

By Mark Pack | Thu 19th June 2008 - 4:35 pm

1. Conservative candidate John Howell is asked a dozen questions about his links to developers – but repeatedly refuses to answer them fully.

2. John Howell is a county councillor, but misses two key votes on whether a new town should be built in the Oxfordshire countryside.

3. And then to round it off, John Howell has been talking about how important campaigning to save the local hospital has been to him, but the two key hospital campaigners have pointed out that:

The Townlands Campaign has always been a community based campaign led by local people. The first time I was ever aware of

…

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Mark Pack

Henley by-election campaign ups pressure over developer links

By Mark Pack | Mon 16th June 2008 - 2:20 pm

The Liberal Democrat Henley by-election campaign has upped the pressure today on John Howell, the Conservative candidate, over his controversial links to property developers.

From the party’s press release:

The Liberal Democrats have today written to the Conservative candidate in the Henley by-election, John Howell, urging him to clarify his links to property developers for the sake of local residents.

Mr Howell has so far failed to deny his links to a firm that helps property developers build on green belt and green field sites.

Chief Executive of the Liberal Democrats, Lord Rennard said:

“Local people deserve to know the full facts about John Howell’s links to property developers. Protecting the countryside is a vital issue in this election.

“John Howell’s links to firms that want to develop in controversial locations poses questions about his suitability to be the local MP.

“Many people will think it is hypocritical of John Howell to have such strong links to developers whilst saying on his election literature that he wants to ‘Defend South Oxfordshire’s Green Belt’.”

Text of Chris Rennard’s letter:

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Mark Pack

The most unlikely by-election candidate suggestion so far

By Mark Pack | Sun 15th June 2008 - 3:33 pm

So you’re thinking of running a candidate against David Davis because you support 42 days detention without trial. And you think it would be a good idea for that person to be the victim of an act of terrorism. Who do you think of? Umm … in this case, someone who has actually been a persistent and vocal opponent of 42 days detention without trial. Genius.

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Stephen Tall

Davis: I quit to stop Tory U-turn on 42 days

By Stephen Tall | Sun 15th June 2008 - 1:06 pm

In the first hour after David Davis quit as an MP last Thursday, I suggested the reason underpinning his decision:

Mr Davis recognised that the Tories’ influential neo-cons in the shadow cabinet, George Osborne and Michael Gove, would much rather have backed the Government over 42 days: only tactical considerations of defeating Labour in the Commons persuaded they and Mr Cameron to rally behind Mr Davis’s stand. But none of them, it seems, wanted to fight the proposal through the House of Lords, and try and defeat it again when it returns to the Commons.

Now David Davis has come as …

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Darrell Goodliffe

Opinion: Why we should stand against David Davis

By Darrell Goodliffe | Sun 15th June 2008 - 12:53 pm

It is no secret to any regular reader of the comments on these pages that I am bitterly disappointed by the decision that the Liberal Democrats will not be standing against David Davis in the upcoming by-election in Haltemprice & Howden. Often in the heat of debate points get lost and come out half-formed and therefore I think it is worth taking the time to step-back a little.

Whatever we may think of the decision Davis took and its motivations some fundamental points need to be made against the position put forward by the leadership. Simon Hughes says in his …

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Mark Pack

Four pieces of mostly unconnected news

By Mark Pack | Sat 14th June 2008 - 9:43 pm

One: Mark Penn, formerly of Hilary Clinton’s Presidential campaign, tells people in US that it was he who ran Labour’s 2005 general election campaign. I suspect that’d be news to quite a few in the Labour Party. Such as those who ran it.

Two: Alun Cairns, a Conservative Welsh Assembly member, quits post after insulting Italians.

Three: Kelvin MacKenzie needs a crash course in the law if he isn’t to end up in jail for accepting illegal overseas donations.

Four: there’s a very high chance* that support for the Conservative Party has fallen since just before and just after David Davis’s …

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Alix Mortimer

Down and dirty with the tabloid press

By Alix Mortimer | Fri 13th June 2008 - 11:35 am

Kelvin MacKenzie’s phone must be in meltdown. Good! BURN him, BURN him! Ahem. The former Sun editor and fervent supporter of a 42-day detention limit has indicated that he will stand against David Davis in the forthcoming Haltemprice (how quickly we’ve all learned to spell that) & Howden by-election – putting many Lib Dems into the extraordinary position of not only hoping David Davis wins, but actively considering hitting the doorsteps to help him do it.

Yes, yes, Davis is a distinctly unreliable “libertarian” with some nasty socially conservative stances, but who can resist the idea of kicking Rupert Murdoch in the nuts? For

…

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The Voice

What do party members in Haltemprice & Howden think?

By The Voice | Fri 13th June 2008 - 10:54 am

Last night’s local fundraising dinner was, as it turns out, remarkably well timed, and this is what members made of it all,

“All I think I can say in summary is that although there will be many in party upset by our decision not to oppose Davis, judging from last night’s gathering, the local party in Haltemprice & Howden felt the right decision had been made.”

 

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Mark Pack

What the papers say about David Davis

By Mark Pack | Fri 13th June 2008 - 12:27 am

Daily Telegraph: Tensions with David Cameron lay behind David Davis’s resignation
The Economist: Davis blows his top
Financial Times: Going out in a blaze of glory
The Guardian: Tories in turmoil as David Davis resigns over 42-day vote
This is London: Tories in Turmoil
The Times: David Cameron moves to limit the damage as his old foe does the inexplicable

Headline not spotted: “David Cameron pulls off political masterstroke”
 

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The Voice

Simon Hughes: why the Lib Dems will not stand against David Davis

By The Voice | Thu 12th June 2008 - 5:31 pm

This is the text of the email just sent by Lib Dem president Simon Hughes explaining the party’s decision not to contest the forthcoming Haltemprice & Howden by-election triggered by David Davis’s shock resignation:

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The Voice

Lib Dem candidate in Haltemprice & Howden speaks out

By The Voice | Thu 12th June 2008 - 5:13 pm

The Voice has got its hands on the press statement from David Nolan, the Liberal Democrat candidate in Haltemprice & Howden:

As David Davis is standing on the one single issue of opposing 42 day detention without charge and we happen to agree with him, the collective view of our Party is that we will not stand against him at this by-election.

As Lib Dem PPC for the Constituency, I fully support that decision.

However at the next General Election, when he will be standing on a Conservative Party Manifesto, we will oppose him vigorously.

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Stephen Tall

NEW POLL: should the Lib Dems stand in Haltemprice & Howden?

By Stephen Tall | Thu 12th June 2008 - 4:18 pm

By popular demand… following David Davis’s shock decision today to quit both as Tory shadow home secretary and MP for Haltemprice & Howden – and force a by-election over Labour’s 42 days detention without trial policy – Nick Clegg has announced the Lib Dems will not stand against Mr Davis at the subsequent by-election.

Nick’s decision gained the personal backing both of the party president Simon Hughes, and the party’s chief executive and by-election supreme Chris Rennard. All three have made it very clear the Lib Dems will re-contest the seat at the next general election. They have apparently discussed it …

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Mark Pack

What’s going on in the Conservative Party?

By Mark Pack | Thu 12th June 2008 - 3:50 pm

The media are increasingly turning to reporting strains within the Conservative Party over David Davsis’s dramatic resignation. For example, Nick Robinson on David Davis’s resignation:

David Cameron has lost control of his strategy. This was not his decision. He was not asked for his agreement. He was informed late last night by David Davis that he was going to do this come what may. That he was going to resign and trigger this campaign. This is not a campaign that Mr Cameron wants, it is not part of his strategy and indeed, I am told by senior Tories who know

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Stephen Tall

The David Davis resignation: what it means

By Stephen Tall | Thu 12th June 2008 - 1:52 pm

Lib Dem Voice yesterday highlighted the contrast between David Davis’s passionate opposition to Labour’s attempts to bang up citizens for six weeks without telling them why, and the rather more lacklustre opposition of the Tory leadership:

I don’t doubt for one second the integrity of David Davis, the Tories’ shadow home secretary, in opposing Labour’s draconian 42 days proposal. He is one of many Tories who have shown themselves to understand the importance of defending hard-won freedoms. But what if Mr Davis weren’t to be the Tories’ home secretary? What then? Would his successor stick to his guns? That the

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The Voice

David Davis quits as MP to force 42 days by-election

By The Voice | Thu 12th June 2008 - 12:52 pm

The BBC says:

Shadow home secretary David Davis is set to resign as an MP, the BBC understands.

It is thought he wants to trigger a by-election in his Haltemprice and Howden seat.

Mr Davis has been a passionate opponent of plans to extend the terror detention limit to 42 days.

It is thought he has privately threatened to resign if the Tories wavered on the issue. He will make a statement shortly.

UPDATE: Iain Dale reports he will be fighting a by-election on the 42 days issue.

UPDATE 13.02: The Guardian reports he will be standing as an independent… curiouser and …

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Alex Foster

Henley Howell’s developer links

By Alex Foster | Wed 11th June 2008 - 7:12 pm

Guardian Politics is currently leading with a story about the Conservative candidate in Henley – who works with a planning consultancy specialising in with a firm that builds on the greenbelt. This is rather unfortunate for a campaign where greenbelt development is particularly controversial.

Henley byelection: Tory candidate lobbying for planning firm while backing green belt

John Howell, the Conservative candidate in the Henley-on-Thames byelection, is campaigning to keep the green belt while acting as a lobbyist for a planning company that advises housebuilders on contentious land and property deals.

Howell, who is citing fighting development in Oxfordshire’s green belt as one of the key reasons to support him in the byelection on June 26, was accused of “grade-A hypocrisy” by the Liberal Democrats.

Coincidentally, this unfortunate fact also appears on the front of the next Lib Dem newspaper, and electronic copy of which also dropped through the electronic letter box of Lib Dem Voice.

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