I know what its like to lose. Not just lose an election which could go either way. I know what its like to lose big time, when not expecting it. When my life has been turned upside down. I remember resigning (I had not much choice) from my position as Chair of the Development Board for Rural Wales. That almost destroyed me. And I remember losing my position on the National Assembly for Wales last May. I was knocked back by that too. So I think we can agree that I know a fair bit about what it feels like to lose.
So I felt for Bob Davey last Friday - despite my efforts to persuade voters to back his Conservative opponent. Bob couldn't have expected to lose. I went to the Wagon on Friday night to track him down, but just missed him. Anyway, I saw him yesterday and tried to share his pain. I also felt a bit of sympathy for Richard Noyce, the Lib Dem defeated by another Conservative that I'd been campaigned for. I'm told that he is feeling very low in defeat as well.
Bob's opinion is that Lembit Opik lost it for him, which bearing in mind that he was an 'Independent' takes a bit of working out. His theory is that there is so much antipathy to our MP at the moment, that huge numbers of voters are switching to the only party that can remove him, the Conservatives. If this is true, its rather promising news for yours truly, who will be standing against the Lib Dem MP at the next General Election. I'm told that Richard Noyce also feels that Lembit Opik cost him his seat. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Richard takes things further. Anyway, I'd advise all of last week's winners to spare a thought for the losers. It may be their turn some day.
11 comments:
There is no doubt whatsoever that Letme Grope-it lost the election for Bob. His antics in the past 18 months or so have sickened people up here to the core. I am one of a huge number of Lib Dem voters who will refuse to cast my vote for LO. As long as he stands, you Glyn get my vote. The inexplicable thing to myself and others is why the hell does the local party keep him there! Not only that, they actually utter weasel words trying to defend him. All this angers people even further. If they wish to keep this seat, they are going to have to radically change their tack and bin this disaster of an excuse for an MP
Glyn> that's just one of the very good features of your personality that you are not so dogmatic with party loyalty that you can feel an opponents pain and be a strong support to them in their moment of despair. Good on you.
If Bob Davey thinks the Lib Dem MP cost him his seat as an Independent Councillor, how come the Lib Dem candidate in that ward (who finished 3rd out of 3) was within a few dozen votes of beating Bob into 3rd place?
As for Noyce he was a liability, I lived in his ward a pardon the language but he was a smug git who thought he was the bees knees just because he sat on this that and whatever committee and never did any work.
anon - the more interesting point is why should an Independent feel that this affected his vote - a point which Gareth picks up. And its not an isolated opinion either.
chris - I suppose you need to have been there personally to know what its like.
Gareth - I think you are being a bit hard on Richard. He lives in Berriew, the same village as I do, so I see him quite often. I have no idea whether he was a responsive councillor, but he's always seemed an OK person to me. But democracy delivers losers as well as winners, and last week, it was our team's turn for some success.
We all know you're going to beat Lemsip but your Labour opponent may be made of sterner stuff. His name is Nick Colborne, an ambitious former policeman who has experience that will serve him well in the coming election.
Until last week he was Labour councillor for Ruabon, Wrexham. His first term ended abruptly when he was beaten by both his opponents and ended up a poor third - a result he no doubts intends to repeat in the Mont election.
Nick - I'm looking forwards to meeting him. Accepted wisdom is that a strong Labour candidate benefits the Conservatives in Montgomeryshire. When I was first interested in politics, Montg was a three way marginal, except that Labour never actually won. In 1983, most Labour voters switched to the Lib Dems to 'get the Tory out' and they have never changed back.
anons - I've not published two comments, because I don't want this blog to become a forum for slagging off Lembit. Its fine to disagree with what an MP says, and I've said myself that I don't much like his focus on celebrity, but its not fair if I allow comments that are not proven.
I can't see how Lemsip cost 'Independent' Davey his seat, as Gareth rightly points out - the LibDem almost beat him. The Grope-it affect probably had a bigger influence with Noyce's defeat - but quite 'frankly' it is more to do with the high quality of your own candidates and the pretty poor performance of the two LOSERS that did them in, in my humble opinion...
Roman - I too think the success of Conservative candidates in Newtown and North Montgomeryshire was much to do with a well organised campaign by a team commited to public service. I also think that a much more accepting attitude towards the Conservative Party helps. Up to us to deliver now.
Dear Glyn, The feedback I got from doorknocking on the streets was that I was the first candidate or councillor the residents had seen in nearly a decade and that they were unhappy with the incumbent councillor and the performance of Powys CC, but made no mention of national issues. It was local factors and the individual candidates that had decided the results. I certainly do not agree that anti-Liberal Democrat feeling was a factor in my ward.
Peter - Thanks. I suspect there were several factors (there usually) but the main factor was probably your obvious commitment to the job. We really do have a terrific team of committed Conservatives in Montg at the moment - and I'm sure that the same applies in B and R - just that I don't know them yet. A general theme I've heard during my campaigning over the last month has been that people feel they are being taken for granted - a big lesson for us.
It's interesting to read everyone's comments here. However, I think you're all missing the point. It was a number of factors which affected those long-standing councillors who lost their seats.
1. The general political apathy nationally, including current political party politics.
2. A number of sitting councillors expected to walk back in without a fight.
3. Some of the new councillors actually took an interest in their potential constituent.
Now, I'm not saying Bob Davey falls into any of these and it's easy for someone new to come in and say they're going to make a difference to win a vote. But time will tell and we'll be watching them along with those who vote again in four years.
But whatever happens, sometimes its good to have a fresh face to revive an organisation. Hopefully a mix of new and old will make a difference at County Hall.
Post a Comment