UKC

An alien landing in Clwyd West could be forgiven into thinking that we were not having an election. Apart from three Conservative posters in the adjoining constituency I have seen no evidence of canvassing with the exception of a bit of rubbish stuffed through our letter box on behalf Labour candidate.

Years ago elections were interesting, almost fun. I think the problem is that, apart from the high profile figures, they are scared to go out and meet real people in case they get faced with awkward questions.

In reply to mypyrex:

I've had Labour and Conservative literature through the door. Predictably the local sheep and cattle appear to be voting Conservative. Spotted Nigel Farage's head, 10' tall on a UKIP advertising hoarding on my run last night. I'd rather see it on a spike!

In reply to The New NickB:
?
No doubt there are a considerable number of sheep and cattle voting Labour.

In reply to The New NickB: If it was ever in doubt that Kippers are a bunch of self defeating loons this election is proving it.

In reply to mypyrex:

I have an A1 poster in my front garden, I've been door knocking and had a table in the High Street, and my hustings is tomorrow night.

How much more visible can I be?

In reply to mypyrex:
there are two elections. One is the high profile one being fought in those lucky key marginals where voting actually matters - there you will see canvassers, photo ops, hustings, the whole shebang. Then there's the election for the rest of us. A few leaflets through the door and some party activists manning a stall on Saturday morning, hoping to get seen by the party and the promise of a real chance in another constituency next time if they behave themselves in this no-hoper.

In reply to mypyrex:
Living in a Labour safe seat 21000+ majority it's like the election isn't even happening here. Just no political activity what so ever. I have had no leaflets through the door, haven't even seen them door knocking or out in the town centres yet.

Like this bbc link says if you want a break from the election the Bootle constituency is the place to be.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32217004

In reply to mypyrex:

There was a hustings debate thingamy in my constituency last night, unfortunately the only reason I know about it was because it was on the local news last night - would have been better to know about it in advance so I could have gone and heckled the UKIP candidate

Parties don't bother visiting safe seats, safe areas in marginals. They only concentrate on swing areas / people in marginals.

I haven't seen a single party canvasser where I live.

In reply to mypyrex:



The ones in the local fields don't appear to be.

In reply to mypyrex:

I've had lots of stuff from Labour, a couple of things from SNP, and not a peep from either of the others. Labour, Tories and SNP have had stalls in the town centre at weekends, and somewhat bizarrely, given how quiet the town is first thing in the morning, the Tory candidate was out in the town centre on Tuesday morning.

The oddest thing has been the way the Tories absolutely refuse to engage with passers-by - they seem to spend all their time chatting with each other, without making any effort to even hand out leaflets. They've done the same in the neighbouring constituency as well - I wonder if it's part of being a Perthshire Tory, a general unwillingness to engage with the populace.

In reply to Mike Stretford:

My local Kipper candidate, who only lost a recent by-election by 600 votes, recently leafletted and canvassed an area two miles outside of the constitutancy boundary. I think he may lose by a lot more this time, with national party resources spread a lot thinner.

In reply to The New NickB:
I'm sure if you look a bit harder you'll find them. There's plenty of them all over the country along with the Clegg clogs, the Scot gnats and the tree huggers and the Kippers

In reply to tony:

I once passed Michael Howard on a Westminster pavement, he was leader of the opposition at the time. I'm not a fan, but I though I would say a friendly good afternoon. The look I got back was somewhere between horror and contempt. My accent my have given me away as a northerner, but I was suited and booted.

In reply to mypyrex:

It wasn't a great joke, so I'm not going explain it any further!

In reply to The New NickB:
My accent my have given me away as a northerner,

Nasty man but you do know he is Welsh - I doubt your accent was the problem, unless there is a Welsh-Northern thing I don't know about?

In reply to MG:

You're right, I suspect he was just having a problem with humanity that day.

In reply to The New NickB:


Didn't think yours was particularly side splitting, either.

In reply to mypyrex:

I was referring to mine, but which one do you mean?

In reply to The New NickB:


All the oilseed rape in Notts is voting Conservative, apparently

In reply to tony:
l - I wonder if it's part of being a Perthshire Tory, a general unwillingness to engage with the populace.

Not a scots thing, Ken Clarke came to our local farmers market - chatted to a couple of stallholders and then plonked himself on a bench for a natter with two of his canvassers.

side note - look for an early by-election in Notts. He was looking decidedly peaky.

In reply to The New NickB:


You sound more like a Brummie or, at a push, an Aussie.

In reply to felt:


In that case I sympathise with Howard

In reply to felt:

Have we met? If we have, I would recommend a visit to your local audiology department.

In reply to mypyrex:

Apparently yes, the T shirts are printed and ready to wear - there's one for every party:

http://www.shotdeadinthehead.com/nsearch?page=1&pushnav=menu&keywor...

In reply to The New NickB:

We haven't had the pleasure, but I do appreciate your concern.

In reply to The New NickB:

Your anecdote would be identical if you replaced MH with about 95% of all Londoners, particularly if you were on the tube.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Well yes, having lived in London I can appreciate that, but this was a man who within months would be asking the country to make him Prime Minister. He didn't even have the excuse of being a Londoner, as pointed out, he is from near Swansea and at the time represented the people of Folkstone.

In reply to The New NickB:

Can you imagine the look I would have got with my Scots accent??!!

In reply to toad:

I was up in Aberdeenshire recently and there was a small patch of sea campion which appeared to be voting Scot Nat.

In reply to mypyrex:



Be grateful!

In reply to Tony the Blade:

good luck!

In reply to mypyrex:

Same here too In Newark. I would quite like to have had a conversation with a candidate or activist. I se see them in the same light as jehovas witnesses and like to test the mettle.