tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post2416096206819657503..comments2024-03-27T09:27:33.931+00:00Comments on Idiotic Hat: ElectioneeringMike C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-49726907916515516372015-05-10T17:41:10.206+01:002015-05-10T17:41:10.206+01:00Zouk,
You've got the wrong forum for this sor...Zouk,<br /><br />You've got the wrong forum for this sort of thing. Somewhere out there is a place where such grievances can get a proper airing -- this is not it. If you have genuine concerns, why not try your local Labour Party, or even the Electoral Commission?<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-35665981716987501512015-05-10T17:19:07.931+01:002015-05-10T17:19:07.931+01:00In fact the overall figures were:
Con:
Local: 14,...In fact the overall figures were:<br /><br />Con:<br />Local: 14,923<br />General: 21,291<br /><br />Labour:<br />Local: 16,371<br />General: 16,336<br /> <br />UKIP:<br />Local: 4,815<br />General: 6,864<br /><br />Lib Dems<br />Local: 3,082<br />General: 1,582 <br /><br />Green:<br />Local: 2,225<br />General: 1,369<br /><br />Other:<br />Local: 234<br />General: 357<br /><br />Total:<br />Local: 41,650<br />General: 47,799<br /><br />Con discrepancy: 6368<br />Total : 6149<br /><br />So, except perhaps in the case of the Lib Dems, the effect you mention is apparently not the explanation. I'm no more a psephologist than you (well, perhaps a little bit more of one now), but this suggests to me that either about 6000 people discarded or spoiled their local ballot papers and voted Con in the General Election (why would so many people do that?), or that there were perhaps around 6000 fraudulent votes cast in the General Election in this constituency. I urge you and your UK readers to produce figures from elsewhere in the country.<br /><br />Any real psephologists in the house who can dispel my suspicions?Zouk Delorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07983226210415857258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-19890509169714762232015-05-09T19:50:11.681+01:002015-05-09T19:50:11.681+01:00Perhaps -- but not Labour voters in Stevenage it s...Perhaps -- but not Labour voters in Stevenage it seems. Perhaps some were responding to Cameron's (logically fallacious*) last minute warning that "the only way to be sure of getting a Conservative government is to vote Conservative"?<br /><br />*It's not even <i>a</i> way to be <i>sure</i>, Dave (though admittedly it appears to have worked in this case).Zouk Delorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07983226210415857258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-46880214414356303562015-05-09T17:43:31.968+01:002015-05-09T17:43:31.968+01:00Zouk,
I'm no psephologist (!), but I think it...Zouk,<br /><br />I'm no psephologist (!), but I think it's generally the case that people will vote for the smaller parties locally, but the larger ones nationally. I certainly voted Green locally, but not nationally.<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-72964033090273468962015-05-09T16:41:32.100+01:002015-05-09T16:41:32.100+01:00Anyone care to try and explain what look (to me, a...Anyone care to try and explain what look (to me, anyway) like anomalies in the elections in Stevenage, or to provide equivalent figures for their own locale? As usual, voters attending polling stations were handed two voting slips and further provided with a pencil, a booth and a ballot box to use them with. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.stevenage.gov.uk/about-the-council/elections-and-voting/139389/" rel="nofollow">Local election</a>:<br />Lab 16,371<br />Con 14,923<br /><br />Largest turnout: 71.92% Manor (Con)<br /><br />Smallest:<br />58.36% Bedwell (Lab)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.stevenage.gov.uk/about-the-council/elections-and-voting/139366/" rel="nofollow">General election</a>:<br />Lab: 16,336<br />Con: 21,291<br /><br />Turnout:<br />47,799 (67.71%)<br /><br />The figures for Labour are very similar, but there seem to be about 7,000 who wanted a Conservative national govt but had other (or no?) ideas about local matters.<br /><br />Note for those particularly interested in Stevenage: the two lowest turnouts were in Bedwell and Shephall, where one might suppose a large number of the inhabitants are builders or their wives(/husbands? Haha!) and progeny. Both were, of course, solidly Labour.<br /><br />Zouk Delorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07983226210415857258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-1836442042896043862015-05-09T11:16:28.032+01:002015-05-09T11:16:28.032+01:00Michael,
Well, to be a little solemn [cue "I...Michael,<br /><br />Well, to be a little solemn [cue "Imagine"] I suppose because for too many people too many of their moments are not enjoyable. Change is inevitable, but we can try to steer that change rather than submit to it.<br /><br />Though a "first past the post" system really does not help -- it's like trying to steer a canoe through rapids with a plank for an oar...<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-60402964909117711792015-05-09T10:56:10.039+01:002015-05-09T10:56:10.039+01:00Mike why are we always looking for change,why not ...Mike why are we always looking for change,why not enjoy the moment and just push on.<br />Michael.seanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17016952019699494870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-56751233929333647822015-05-09T09:24:10.207+01:002015-05-09T09:24:10.207+01:00Mike,
Indeed. I don't suppose the US media ha...Mike,<br /><br />Indeed. I don't suppose the US media have been breathlessly following every move in our election, but ours will follow yours like pilot fish follow a shark...<br /><br />Ah, Don Juan! One of the funniest things I've ever seen -- it's making me laugh now -- was a friend (a rather large, tall, and solemn chap) showing me how he had mastered the "gait of power"... He looked like a penguin doing a schoolyard impression of a rocket. Priceless...<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.com