Monday, May 03, 2010

Seen in Blaydon

Mick Henry, Labour leader of Gateshead Council, is not someone I have seen very often in the west of the borough. So it was interesting today to receive a report that he was in the Blaydon Labour HQ, along with cabinet member John McElroy. I received reports that they were also seen out delivering. What this suggests is that Labour are now pulling out all the stops to hold on to Blaydon. If I were in their position, I would do the same.

I have lived through too many false dawns to get too excited about the result before it is declared. Nevertheless, this has been the most interesting and unpredictable general election in which I have been involved. Here in Blaydon it will be close, regardless of whether Labour wins or loses to the Lib Dems. About the only thing that is predictable is the Conservatives will not win here. There is no UKIP candidate this time so my expectation is that much of their vote (4% last time) will go to the Conservatives. Since the Conservatives start in 8%, this is not going to put them into the lead. Quite what impact the appearance of a BNP candidate will have is difficult to say. Some say it will impact more on Labour. Others that it will take votes of those unhappy with the current system who would otherwise vote Lib Dem as the mainstream party least identified with the current system. No doubt certain regular readers of this blog will post up some comments on their own thoughts.

Anyway, I go into the final stages of this campaign both locally and nationally with a feeling that we could be on the verge of something significant (the optimistic side of me), but also thinking that I will believe it when it happens (the experienced side of me).
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

"No doubt certain regular readers of this blog will post up some comments on their own thoughts."

Not that I am bothered if the L/D win or N/L win I can tell you this...

Any N/L seat that doesn`t have at least a 6000-vote majority could well fall. Have a gut feeling Blaydon will fall to the L/D.

I hope the bnp lose their deposit and the tories (I live in hope,lol).

Anonymous said...

I would like to see us get rid of this awful New Labour controlled Gateshead council we have. Their next,their next.

Anonymous said...

"New Labour controlled Gateshead council"

I missed the word "dictatorial" out of the above sentence.

Anonymous said...

I may have spoken too soon, it looks like postal ballots may come to the rescue off N/L in key marginals...Better luck next time L/D...

"Voter fraud - George Galloway names names"

Tuesday 4th May 2010

http://tinyurl.com/36fzwbr

Did hear that the a New Labour's canvass shows the Straw man in Blackburn running in third place...I now think he is running in first place...You get my drift.

kevin scott said...

Blaydon constituency May 2010 result:

Lab: 49.6%
Lib Dem: 29.3%
Con 15.9%
BNP: 5.1%