The Guardian have a great article which liberally quotes Sarah Olney, the Lib Dems’ “prospective candidate” for Richmond Park and has this passage:
Within 48 hours of Goldsmith’s standing down on Tuesday, the Lib Dems had leafleted the entire constituency and were trying to find a bigger office from which to mastermind their campaign.
Nassar Kessell, a party activist who was out on the streets on Friday, admitted that Goldsmith, who fought an unsuccessful campaign to become mayor of London earlier this year, was popular locally. But he was still beatable.
“There’s no doubt that people like him. He’s been the MP for a very long time. But there is certainly a part of the constituency that is upset about the issues he’s championed – Brexit, for example. We can absolutely provide the alternative.”
Sarah Olney lays into Theresa May about the Heathrow decision:
The decision on Heathrow was clearly driven not by concern for the arguments, still less for local people whose lives will be blighted, but by worries about Brexit.
Theresa May dared not block Heathrow because she was terrified of being seen as anti-business.
In reality the economic case for a third runway is at best flaky, but this decision was all about public relations. People in Richmond could get an airport expansion they didn’t want because of a Brexit they didn’t want, from a prime minister who didn’t want them either.
You can read the full article here.
The Richmond & Twickenham Lib Dem office is well and truly open for business at 65a Sheen Lane, Mortlake, SW14 8AD (very close to Mortlake Station). Tomorrow (Sunday) they are open from 10am until 8pm.
* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
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14 Comments
Well it looks like a two horse race; lets hope the right horse wins.
LDV would do well to produce an extended profile piece about Sarah Olney; there is a need to know more of her political background, her political philosophy and approach to politics. In order to give whole hearted support more information is needed. I understand that she joined the Liberal Democrats fairly recently (had she never been a member before?), though I have seen it reported that she has been a life long Liberal voter and has been involved in campaigning longer than she has been a member.
An informative article in LDV, with extensive quotations from Sarah Olney herself could effectively dispel disinformation that pops up in the blogosphere.
Me I prefer the left of center one!!!!
Martin, the party has not yet selected a candidate for the by-election. Sarah Olney previously been selected as the parliamentary candidate in the event of an early general election. But party rules mean that there must be another selection in the event of a by-election. Sarah may or may not be the candidate. Other candidates may put themselves forward. The media have just been assuming it is Sarah, because until the new selection, she is still the official PPC for Richmond Park. The hustings, at which the candidate will be selected, is today.
Theakes just as long as its not the one carrying the UKIP colours.
Paul,
Is the office in Richmond Park wheelchair accessible? I would love to come and help but being confined to a wheelchair means that I can only do so if the place is accessible enough for my wheelchair to fit through the front door.
I would therefore be grateful if you could let me know the accessibility of the premises in Richmond Park. Thank you.
Richard Whelan
I am quite sure that within 2 weeks the vast majority of the Richmond Park electorate will be able to name the Lib Dem candidate or at least say “yes that lady Sarah something. It is what happens in by elections when there is a steady stream of literature and press publicity. She is aided by the 5 week period of the election. The more time she has the better her prospects. Just keep Cleggie and Ashdown away. We want as many Labour votes as possible.
I came across this surprising article on Sarah Olney from the early hours of this morning in the Mail online… Pointing out Goldsmith’s drug taking at Eton and some events in Sarah’s life bound to evoke some sympathy…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3886152/amp/Zac-Goldsmith-bet-ll-never-worry-jar-marmite-costs-post-Brexit-MP-s-election-opponent-launches-stinging-attack-rival-s-wealth.html
Whilst family tragedy can indicate that a candidate has experienced pain in life, pointing the finger at an electoral candidate because of family wealth and teenage drug use is the kind of tactic that could backfire badly… I suspect many prominent Lib Dem politicians are equally privileged and have used drugs. I wish politicians would stick to the issues.
Martin
There is a profile of Sarah here:
https://www.libdemvoice.org/lib-dems-select-sarah-olney-to-be-our-candidate-at-the-richmond-park-byelection-52315.html
Given that Mr Goldsmith is standing as an Independent and the Tory party are not standing a candidate against him, I wonder how much help he will get from the local tory constituency party.
It all seems like an expensive sham to me. He will be battling against a candidate of a political party that is also opposed to Heathrow expansion. If, as a point of principle, he intended to lumber the tax -payer with the cost of a by election on this single issue, he could have resigned, full stop.
Ed
I doubt if our candidate said anything about drug-taking (that is the journalist).. I think Goldsmith is sufficiently wealthy to comment on his wealth however… Did he use it to pay for that 2 page spread in the Evening Standard for example? Interesting that the article was posted within 5 minutes of the Mail on Sunday taking over from the Daily Mail
Jayne,
I think Goldsmith will have the local Tories behind him – but I doubt he will have 200 MP’s visiting him and hopefully not those Tory phone banks up and down the country…
Possibly time for a quick freedom of information request on what canvas data he is using though!
A Labour councillor ironically called Sam Stopp is bidding to be the Labour pro-runway candidate…
Sam not-Stopp perhaps?