Crick Wins in Battersea
Jane Ellison won the Conservative Open Primary in Battersea on the third recount. It was obviously close and it has to be said that effectively the most left-wing candidate was selected to represent the Conservatives by a small margin of votes swung by non-Conservatives. The BBC's Michael Crick is reported to have voted for her.
The Open Primary idea is a good one, but letting your enemies select your candidate seems silly. In the U.S. you at least have to be registered with the party to vote in their primary. When Jane Ellison stood in the General Election in Pendle in May 2005 she achieved an against the trend swing to the LibDems of +9.4% and away from the Conservatives of -2.1% on what was not a good night for Labour. Fortunately for Jane the seat is a certain gain for the Tories at the next election.
Listen to the Today report here.
The Open Primary idea is a good one, but letting your enemies select your candidate seems silly. In the U.S. you at least have to be registered with the party to vote in their primary. When Jane Ellison stood in the General Election in Pendle in May 2005 she achieved an against the trend swing to the LibDems of +9.4% and away from the Conservatives of -2.1% on what was not a good night for Labour. Fortunately for Jane the seat is a certain gain for the Tories at the next election.
Listen to the Today report here.
51 comments:
Awful, awful result. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that such a sopping wet lefty gets selected in a party led by Heath-a-like Dave, but I'd hoped that the membership would have more sense.
Here's hoping she gets well and truly slaughtered - ideally, by an independent, and genuine, conservative.
Here here to that. Of course, it is nothing to do with the sense of the mebership. In an absurd arrangement like this was, any Tom, Dick or Harry has a vote.
Can we please have some libertarian candidates?
Guido, there's no such thing as a certain gain, especially if all your voters stay at home. I'm a Tory and if I lived in Battersea, I wouldn't be voting for Ellison (or for that matter anybody who was only half as rabidly pro-Europe). I'm putting money on this seat not being won by the Tories at the next election.
"Tom, Dick or Harry has a vote. "
(er can we make that Tom, Abdul and Rebecca please- your statement smacks of white maleness and is highly un PC.)
Exactly, i mean how stupid are these slick New Conservatives, their ignorance and naivety is perilous.
I mean what sort of ningcompoop came up with this idea, yeah alright dont all rush at once.
Good job Sinn Fein aren't as thick they could have ended up with Ian Paisley as a candidate!!!
http://www.ghostofhumphrey.blogspot.com
I am a Tory Councillor but will be voting for Martin Linton at the next General Election. He has at least been a solid voice in favour of reform of health services and education, if nothing else!
Jane Ellison's views have no common ground with our (Thatcherite) Association but everything in common with the fact the left-wing Tory Reform Group (with their allies in Labour and the LibDems) ran a mass get-out-the-vote campaign amongst their supporters in Battersea.
As a Councillor in the seat, I can honestly say not one of my colleagues in the seat voted for this dreadful woman tonight.
I hope she loses the General Election. An absolutely bloody awful choice.
Why in the name of GOD would you let your opponents help you select your candidate? They're not going to vote for him/her/it. At some point, you have to govern from principle. The last time we Tories won, it was by running on principles.
Er, no. The last time 'we' won was when Neil Kinnockio was the alternative, wir aaaaaalllllllrrrrriiiiiggggghhhhhttttt!
There wasn't much principled about the Major administration and it's Norman Lamentable ERM policy and subsequent economic disaster.
How many more Bromleys do these idiots want? The morale of Conservative Homers will sink even lower after this. As soon as I heard Portillo was involved, I feared the worst. If Conservatives continue to select Europhiles the Party's support will collapse.
Michael Crick is no recommendation - he was relatively normal and nerdish at New College but the BBC seems to have made him paunchy and somewhat odd.............his contemporary and fellow BBC hack Lance Price in contrast........
Portillo asked Bagshawe about her time in Labour but scrupulously avoided asking Elleson about Europe
The fourth article down on this site contains some previously unknown revelations regarding the Thatcher era and is well worth a look.
http://thegallows.typepad.com/
If you can't produce four good candidates for the public to choose from you don't deserve to win any seats.
"If I never have to go to a party conference in Blackpool again, I shall be a very happy bunny."
Yes, Mary Ann, and after your latest "column", that makes two of us.
I agree with Tapestry and Scary Biscuits on this grievously disappointing result. Obviously, Labourites and Lib Demmers mobilised themselves most effectively for the primary. They have attained their hearts desire. And yes Linton does have a feeble majority. The overriding question remains:Why should the typical Conservative voter go to the polling stations in Bat.and vote for a candidate who could just as easily have stood for NULabour or Ming's lot? If there is a candidate from Ukip,...
Battersea was supposed to be a certain gain for the Tories at the last election...if even Tory Councillors (anon above) are going to vote for Martin Linton, then maybe that should be reconsidered...
People seem to be assuming that general voters have a clue who their candidates are in any given election. Most people vote for a party not a person.
This whole selection debacle is a vignette of what's wrong with the Tory party. Four candidates, only one of which apparently even knows where the constituency is, elbowing for their places at the political trough. The one with the longest snout and loudest squeal gets in.
Just supposin' that the current mob have made a big enough fist of things, and enough merchant bankers have crossed the bridge to Sowth Chilsee to tip the balance. Piggy Ellison is headed for a junior portfolio at the Ministry of Silly Walks and the only view Battersians will get of her is gurning out of a photo-op for the local chuckaway, opening a lesbian arts centre.
The three losers? I imagine they're already thumbing the lists of hopeful seats and wondering if they can reconcile canvassing in the East Midlands with lunching at Bibendum.
And you expect us to vote for this?
Two women and the clowns dont even pick the one thats half shaggable.
I despair.
Hayek's Grandad,
My understanding from those present throughout the process is that the firm hand of Central Office was imposed to prevent any true probing of people's political priorities. This meant that Ellison was never asked about the Euro, the EPP, Brussels etc. and made it to the final stage where she was lucky enough to go last (always an advantage in the selection process).
I don't think it was a Labour/LibDem stitch up as I saw none of the usual suspects there. I just think that older supporters of the association were suckered into voting for her (she would suit many of them, but not a young constituency like Battersea) and a concerted effort by the TRG bore fruit (certainly the rapturous cheers that erupted when she was announced suggest a partisan presence at the event).
Battersea should have been a shoe in for us at the next General Election, but if I were UKIP I would now be looking for the very best candidate they have to prevent our number one target seat from turning Blue again and I suspect they will.
One last point, some Tory councillors DID vote for Ellison no matter what the poster above suggests.
At 4:27 AM, Anonymous said...
Why in the name of GOD would you let your opponents help you select your candidate?
---------
untrue. the Cameron leadership chose the candidates.
When will boy Dave and boy George and all the other little lads and lasses who now "run" the Tory Party realise that there are no longer any "committed" Tory voters they can take for granted. In my neck of the woods the BNP is breathing down the necks of ALL the parties. If Bat were repeated here there would be a real block of BNP on the Council after next May. I really don't know why I bother with such clowns.
Yep, Farrage might even pop up in Battersea at the next election.
Battersea Party members deseelect her immediately. she is only there by a deception which is not acceptable.
Fer feck's sake - grow up!
She got picked and will probably win the next election for us.
Stop whining, and stop pretending you all live in the constituency and won't vote. You're anonymous webmongs, who can no more vote than I can play the banjo.
I am also a Wandsworth Councillor. Whilst my choice would have been Sam Gyimah, I can see why Jane won, she would have been perceived by the older members of the association as a reliable and experienced candidate.
I watched the primary throughout the week. Both Cleverely and Gyimah fought spirited campaigns. I do not know how much work the other two did on the streets.
I think the time frame was too short to make any difference and I don't think the leafleting reached out.
Furthermore, asking outsiders to sit through over two hours of speeches seemed unreasonable. For these to work in the future they must be able to cater for not just the political animals.
Actually, Guido, you don't necessarily have to be registered with a party to vote in a US primary, it depends on whether your state holds open or closed primaries. Open primaries - used in some 20 states - allow anyone to vote in either party's primary - you need not declare party affiliation beforehand. /Nerdyness
I'm astonished at the informed view of those not present last night.
Ellison was the best performer of all. Europe WAS mentioned and her eyes didn't glow red, just "Europe should have leadership role globally. Britain should head that due to its arms reach relations at present"
Bagshawe is not close to shaggable and can't seem to walk normally.
Shame they missed Sam Gyimah - he will make an excellent candidate and is just 30. Sadly the average age in the room was higher and they favoured a candidate in their 40s.
I am still kicking myself that I didn't heckle "Do you still support the euro?" at Ellison. For her to keep her pro-EU views quiet - and be allowed to do so - is a stitch-up that I hope rebounds badly on Battersea Conservatives.
Anon @ 10:12 AM,
As you will know if you were there Europe was only mentioned in passing in a question about China and India, you can hardly say that is an opportunity to probe a rabidly pro-Euro stance. Certainly no supplementals were allowed to drill down further.
if Bagshawe wants a consolation shag I am quite happy to give her one.
Louise just email me here:
hot_for_bagshawe@hotmail.com
'
Dear Senor Guido
What was the order of the 4 Candidates ?
Who were in 2nd, 3rd & 4th Place ?
Were voting numbers announced ?
Your obedient servant etc
G E
I think it was difficult to call on the night as all four performances were strong and all four should have seats. Although I think Louise Bagshawe needs to tone down the catch phrases - she is not flogging her books now.
Sam Gyimah is the one to watch for the future. To get through to the last four was an outstanding achievement and he would have done Battersea proud. What impressed me most about Sam is that although he has achieved much, he does not have the ego of some of the current crop. There are one or two thoroughly unpleasant individuals on the candidates' list with their eyes on safe seats. Sam is not one of them.
As usual your blog attracts the hysterical and crazy. Ellison is left wing, but she will win the seat for the Conservatives and most people in Battersea won't give a damn abt. her views on Europe. She won't affect the tories' position on Europe and there are millions of issues more pressing to people in Battersea. The hysteria whipped up by her victory is embarrassing and childish.
elleson, bagshawe, gyimah, cleverley
To be fair to her, the swing against her in the North was part of a general continued trend against the conversatives in the Free Northern Republic. Even as recently as the local elections in 2006 the Tory share of the vote fell whilst that of Labour increased slightly. Macaroonian cheerleaders tend to overlook how little relevance an Old Etonian toff has to most of the country.
I know the deluded ham actor and his repulsive "First Lady" think we are, but thank God we do not live in the Great Satan. Why, then, are the oddballs at Tory HQ trying to ape their system?
NOBODY CARES ABOUT EUROPE
Apart from a small handful of rightwing nuts. The tories seem to be finally realising that after being massacred at two elections where they ran xenophobic campaigns. All Cameron now needs is for Tebbit to declare he'll be voting UKIP next time and he'll know the party is finally moving into a winning position again
It's quite possible to be pro-Europe without being pro-EU, as long as you're not utterly xenophobic and think that the continent are congenitally linked to corruption and illiberal protectionism. And I don't believe there are enough people who think like that to win you an election.
But equally, those who are pro-Europe need to be the loudest critics of the major flaws in the EU.
For a moment I thought the headline said
"PRICK WINS IN BATTERSEA"
I probably imagine that Portillo through his hat in to the ring at the last moment( he loves putting things in rings)
Blind winger jones I am with you on this one, we need Northern common sense to sort out this country , not a bunch of effete nancy boys and dykes , where I come from a dyke is a wall not a prospective MP.
peter hitchens
I find your comments not remotely funny, and if my information is correct you need not worry about Portillo or indeed any other male wishing to throw anything near your ring. Harley street can help dear boy!
I knew we would see political suicide on the part of the Tories in Battersea. It seems I've been proven right.
Jane Ellison will turn Battersea blue with delight and block out Labour and all comers with a forest of Tory Trees at the next General Election.
To the Tory Councillor who posted his message above....how quickly will his name be revealed.... perhaps what really makes you mad is the fact that Jane spoke with such common middle-England good sense. A case of John Bowis in a skirt....more petite. The people of Battersea will grow to love this 'normal but not ordinary' Lancashire Lass.
As for Louise, that gorgeous and vivacious Bagpuss...she will rise from her defeat to win another day in another place.
Sam...you are the man, but please get back to your Presidential style (OxUnion etc)...you MUST get into Westminster, and will be in a Tory Cabinet one day.
James - good luck with the Mayor of London primary.
Lastly, Jane, if the Ranting Raging Right wing Rebels get too much for you, you'll be welcome at The Leather Bottle.
And that Tory Councillor better remember that I have my Mayoral Mace and will not hesitate to use it should he utter such nonsense again..ORDER ORDER..
Anonymous said...
NOBODY CARES ABOUT EUROPE
--
Well that's all very nice...for the electorate. I don't think anyone is suggesting we would win an election on a UKIP platform, what people are wary of is electing a Clarkeite throwback who will be a thorn in the side of any decent Tory leader or Foreign Secretary who does anything vaguely Eurosceptic. Candidates need to win the votes of the electorate, but to do that they need volunteer campaigners. If those volunteers cannot rely on a candidate to back Tory policy down the line (and we all know what happened when Heseltine, Howe, Taylor, Clark et et al got going) then their motivation to deliver the vote on the doorstep will be severely diminshed. Can volunteers, to whom Europe does matter (like it or not) rely on Ellison not to be disloyal down the road? She told us last night she would defy 3 line whips when her conscience dictates, not a bad quality in itself but a deadly one in the hands of dedicated Europhiles.
"Jane Ellison will turn Battersea blue with delight and block out Labour and all comers with a forest of Tory Trees at the next General Election"
Balderdash!
lSad bash attempt Peter, but it won't work.
Ellison doesn't need activists like anonymous-nutcase as she'll be growing broad support from all corners of Battersea.
To all you winging POMs (Prats of Madness)....get a life or go and live in Lambeth for goodness sake.
I don't know Jane and can't elaborate on her merits or otherwise, but to point at her result in Pendle in 2005 is a little disingenous, as it was far from atypical of the results achieved by most candidates - good, bad and indifferent - across swathes of northern England last year.
In fact, given the dominance of Liberal Democrats at a local level in Pendle, she probably performed better than average...
I doubt Battersea would see Europe as a big issue, in fact Tories in this area would be much more likely to be pro-europe then those out in the suburbs or shires. This is the type of seat that is generally more progressive and a hard right agenda would be a vote loser. The UKIP vote would be pretty low in a seat like this.
"Sadly the average age in the room was higher and they favoured a candidate in their 40s."
Shock, horror!
A bit confused as to why the previous post seems to equate "pro-Europe" with "progressive".
FYI Guido, in the US the system varies state by state (and party by party), but in some states primaries ARE open for any voters. In other states they are open for registered party members and independents, and in other states only for party members...
Seeing brits get their heads around the idea of a primary is quite amusing.
-Piotr Brzezinski
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