London Final LibDem Hustings
Guido attended his first LibDem hustings tonight. The highlight of an otherwise boring meeting was the trio of Southwark urban activists shouting for 5 minutes at Simon Hughes that he was "a racist" and ranting about Nick Stanton - LibDem leader of Southwark council. Now this was awkward, obviously they were going to have to go, but the virtually all-white, hand-wringing liberal audience didn't want to appear heavy handed.
So for a few minutes the situation was tense (although Nick Robinson was laughing with George Pascoe-Watson from The Sun in the front row at the dilemma). Eventually an African LibDem intervened so no white-on-black pictures would appear.
No surprises, Ming and Huhne were about equal on the clap-o-meter, maybe Ming had the edge with his better sense of humour. Hughes was all earnest and vicar-like, he rambled but the audience was not his, Huhne didn't inspire but he was competent.
Funniest question from the floor was from someone who looked like a Tory in a yellow tie asking "when would they withdraw from the EU - AS THE PEOPLE WANT?"
Guido was handed a leaflet by a Green beardie-weirdie type which was going to go straight in the bin, except it does have an interesting allegation about carbon-neutral Huhne. He apparently owns substantial shareholdings in two gold mining companies. Gold which has to be smelted, a process which is responsible for 13% of global carbon emmissions. To be honest, Huhne's conversion from BMW driving city tycoon to Green, electric-car-driving political visionary, does strike Guido as politically convenient.
So for a few minutes the situation was tense (although Nick Robinson was laughing with George Pascoe-Watson from The Sun in the front row at the dilemma). Eventually an African LibDem intervened so no white-on-black pictures would appear.
No surprises, Ming and Huhne were about equal on the clap-o-meter, maybe Ming had the edge with his better sense of humour. Hughes was all earnest and vicar-like, he rambled but the audience was not his, Huhne didn't inspire but he was competent.
Funniest question from the floor was from someone who looked like a Tory in a yellow tie asking "when would they withdraw from the EU - AS THE PEOPLE WANT?"
Guido was handed a leaflet by a Green beardie-weirdie type which was going to go straight in the bin, except it does have an interesting allegation about carbon-neutral Huhne. He apparently owns substantial shareholdings in two gold mining companies. Gold which has to be smelted, a process which is responsible for 13% of global carbon emmissions. To be honest, Huhne's conversion from BMW driving city tycoon to Green, electric-car-driving political visionary, does strike Guido as politically convenient.click to enlarge
15 comments:
I always thought Nick Robinson bears a striking resemblance to Judge Jules
Oops spelling. Naughty bc10.
I personally thought Hughes was miles ahead on the applause!
On the hecklers - the issue they were screaming and shouting about is some sort of planning bust-up caused by the previous (Labour) administration in Southwark, and is in fact going through the legal system at the moment - how screaming abuse at people who aren't responsible for the problem on national TV will help their court case, I don't know.
The figures are somewhat disingenuous.
13% of CO2 emissions may be caused by smelting*. They are certainly not caused by Gold smelting. Iron smelting is probably the main culprit.
Attacking Huhne for owning gold mining shares because gold is smelted, and the CO2 emission rate from smelting Iron etc is ………….. the sort of slur-based-on-distorted/misrepresented-‘facts’ that one would expect to come from a Lib Dem rather than from outside the party.
* Although my guess is that the 13% figure also includes CO2 produced in eg: converting Iron to steel after the Iron smelting process.
The libdems should just drop the beardy greens and the hand-wringing Hughesies and become an economically sensible liberal party. When Crick asked him whether he was a millionaire I wish that Huhne had the guts to say "Hell yes! And you can be too".
The lbdems will never be a serious party while their policies are all based around taxing the rich and recycling egg cartons
I think the 13% refers to Sulfur Dioxide (or Sulphur Dioxide as they used to teach on this side of the Atlantic). A bit of misrepresentation by the Greens. Sulphur Dioxide is more to do with Acid Rain than Global Warming. More info:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_dioxide
Damn, would have said hello if I'd known. Personally I thought Ming was by far most impressive, Huhne a little flat, Hughes' body language said he knew he wasn't going to win. Best line was at the end when candidates were asked what they'd learnt from the others (Ming's scathing response: "I have learnt humility and modesty from Chris and how not to answer the bloody question from Simon")
NB Michael White's unofficial exit poll appeared to be coming out neck and neck between Huhne and Hughes; not unexpected given Hughes' popularity with London activists
That Greenie smelting thing is slightly disingenuous. Al smelting, for example, most of it is done with hydro power.
"When Crick asked him whether he was a millionaire I wish that Huhne had the guts to say "Hell yes! And you can be too".
The Weimar Republic made everyone millonaires
I wouldn't entirely trust a leaflet that gets the chemistry in its first sentence wrong. Carbon Dioxide is writen as CO with subscript 2, not Co with superscript 2. It just doesn't scream "full understanding of the facts".
It just doesn't scream "full understanding of the facts".
It's the Lib Dems Paul,why would they break the habit of a lifetime just cos they've a leadership election on?
"Hughes' popularity with London activists"?????
Outside of Southwark Mr Hughes struggles to have any support in London - look at his list of supporters.
1.Think your remarks are sometimes a little misleading.
The African LibDem you are refering to is Cllr Dr Abdur-Rahman Olayiwola from Southwark who knows about the issue. His intervention has nothing to do with his colour.
2.Had a giggle with Lynne Featherstone about your podcast - again just brilliant.
3.As I was sitting next to Susan Kramer & Lynne & behind Nick Robinson would have loved to have met you.
And most of the Southwark ones are just pretending!
I don't think a single Lib Dem London Assembly Member is supporting him. There was huge disappointment with his ludicrous campaign to be Mayor of London.
Tope and Hamwee for Huhne, Doocey for Campbell. Pope and Tuffrey don't seem to have declared.
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