By-elections in England

http://news.sky.com/story/1350414/polls-close-in-clacton-and-heywood-by-elections

Polls Close In Clacton And Heywood By-Elections
Counting begins in Essex and Greater Manchester in two by-elections which could see UKIP gain its first elected MP.

UKIP sources have told Sky News they are confident of taking victory in the Clacton by-election.

Speaking live from Clacton, Sky News Political Editor Faisal Islam said: "We're hearing from UKIP sources that they're expecting to win.

"We're hearing from Tory sources that they're not expecting to win," he added.

Voting closed in the two key by-elections at 10pm. The results could see the UK Independence Party gain its first elected MP.

The vote in Clacton, Essex, was triggered in August when Tory MP Douglas Carswell defected to UKIP and stood down from his Westminster seat.

Mr Carswell won the seat in 2010 with a majority of more than 12,000, having previously served as Conservative MP for Harwich until the constituency was abolished by boundary changes.

In Heywood and Middleton, Greater Manchester, voters are choosing a new MP following the death of Labour's Jim Dobbin last month.


Mr Dobbin held the seat from 1997 and was returned in 2010 with a significant majority.

The Conservatives entered the vote as underdogs, however Prime Minister David Cameron said last week his party could win in Clacton.

UKIP campaigned strongly in the Lancashire constituency of Heywood and Middleton in an effort to make inroads into Labour's heartland.

With less than a year to go until the next general election, a defeat for Labour in Lancashire would be highly damaging.

Hmm, difficult. I can't say I'm a Farage fan, but I would love to see Cameron AND Milliband get egg on their faces.

Something needs to change, that's for sure.

Disastrous night for established parties:

http://news.sky.com/story/1350491/ukip-claims-first-elected-mp-were-after-you



UKIP took Clacton with a huge majority, and very nearly took Heywood from Labour. The Lib Dem vote collapsed.

Wow!  That must have shaken some people up?

They're trying to brush it off, Lily. I don't think Marxist millionaire Milliband and millionaire-with landed-gentry in-laws Cameron grasp just how out of touch with the public they are - or how despised.

As for Clegg and the LibDems, the sooner they're consigned to history, the better.

Greed does horrible things to people.....

How can a marxist millionaire represent the 'working class'? How can a Tory millionaire that married into the landed artistocracy, and that is backed by, well, oligarchs, speak for small businessmen?

How can someone whose candidate in Clacton got - wait for it - 483 (1.37%) votes, and whose candidate in Heywood got a stunning 1,457 (5.1%) votes, possibly be deputy Prime Minister?

It's insane, and simply cannot go on like this. The only consolation is that we have more than two parties, so they can't just take it in turn to misrule us for eternity.

It's wonderful that someone has upset the hypocrite handcart.  

Of course, any country is better with a third party that is shown to be popular.   It can stop complacency?

Fourth or fifth party, Lily.

Remember, we have Labour, Tories, LibDems, Greens (who have one MP) UKIP, SNP, Plaid Cymru, the Northern Ireland parties, and some smaller 'niche' parties that occassionally get elected in local government. I think there's a Monster Raving Loony mayor somewhere.....

PS - Isn't blaming 'demons' a bit, well, 16th century?

Oh look, not content with Love Bombing Scotland, Cameron is now Love Bombing voters closer to home:

http://news.sky.com/story/1352634/cameron-sends-love-letter-to-rochester-voters

David Cameron has sent a love letter to all Rochester and Strood residents as the date for the by-election is set for 20 November.

The vote, triggered by the defection from the Tories of Mark Reckless in September, is as a significant test for Mr Cameron, who lost the fight in Clacton last week allowing UKIP to win its first MP.

A letter from the Prime Minister has landed on the doormats of voters on the morning Chief Whip Michael Gove moved the writ in the House of Commons for the election to take place.

More blah blah at link.

I hope UKIP is keeping a very, very close eye on those dodgy postal votes....

http://news.sky.com/story/1357981/mike-read-sorry-over-ukip-calypso-song

Read told the Press Association: "I'm so sorry that the song unintentionally caused offence. That was never my intention and I apologise unreservedly if anyone has taken offence.

"I've asked the record company to withdraw the single immediately."

As the man who, years ago, helped Frankie Goes To Hollywood straight to #1 with Relax, Reid well knows the value of a 'offensive' record.

UKIP Calypso is, however, a crime against music. It's right up there with Bowie's Laughing Gnome... 10/10 for the publicity-seeking stunt, though!

What benefits do you get for paying all that money to the EU?

Er, none that anyone can make out, Lily....

Oh, does it pay salaries?  What about bonuses?  That's a lot of money they want.

Ah. I have absolutely NO doubt it will be used to fund European bureaucrats; I don't think it's ever put to any good, helpful, society-improving use.

This is actually a perfect example of why I can never make up my mind about the EU. I am in favour of trading partnerships, and good relations between European nations - we all know what the alternative to that is. But the bloated, money-gobbling monster the EU has turned into is another matter entirely...

It definitely was not what was advertised on the tin?  The Common Market?  

The EU certainly does seem like a ghastly greedy monster........

As far as I can make out, it's all France's fault. I am not sure exactly why, though. I suspect it is actually Obama's fault, for getting into a p*ssing contest with Putin, and leaving Europe, especially farmers, to pay the price for lost trade, which has all gone to China, and assorted nations in the southern hemisphere, never to return.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/24/us-eu-britain-budget-cameron-idUKKCN0ID1DT20141024

Something that I like what he said for a change.

EU officials insisted the revision, which also saw Italy and even crisis-hit Greece asked to pay more while France and Germany would get rebates, was part of an annual statistical exercise handled by civil servants, not politicians.

Absolutely astounding. I wonder what stone they imagine they're going to get it from?

I'm not surprising Cameron is so angry, Lily, the EU 'civil servants' have just guaranteed he's going to lose another seat to UKIP.

Frankly, if the 'civil servants' don't want the EU to collapse in riots, bloodshed and God knows what else, then it is, IMO, time for them to think about scrapping the failed euro experiment, dismantling the bureaucracy and going back to being trading partnerships.

They won't, though, as they're all on the gravy train and troughing away.

No they don't want to stop, Bonny.  Their noses are in the trough way too deep and it's easy money.


ETA:  I like how they want it by December 1.  In time for their Christmas shopping?

Yes, they probably get a percentage as a bonus. Oddly, no-one ever seems to know where these vast sums of money go.

Oh, my bad - a large chunk went to the Algarve Film Commision, or whatever assorted dirty mayors called the fake company they set up to syphon off €€€€€€€€€€€€€€.