Despite the best efforts of the United Kingdom's media pack, the Labour Party with their new leader Ed "I know nothing of the last 13 years" Miliband and even some whingers in our own party to destroy us during the Oldham East & Saddleworth by-election, they failed. They all failed.
Our share of the vote went up, only a small increase, but it went up.
Am I disappointed?
Of course I am. I'm gutted for Elwyn Watkins and every single one of the campaign team, who gave their all, trying new techniques and some of the old favourites to take the seat from Labour.
The public never really see and understand the sheer determination and work rate party workers and volunteers put into a by-election - yes, for many of us it does become personal, but that's because we believe.
We believe in our candidates, we believe in our policies, maybe not all of them but then none of us ever join an organisation because we believe in every aspect of that organisation do we?
I joined the Chelsea FC Supporters Club because I passionately believe in my team, I don't agree with what Roman Abramovich is currently doing at the club, especially getting rid of Wilko or the fact the players have become a little nonchalant.
Politics is exactly the same, I don't agree with some of the policy decisions made now we are in coalition the same as I disagreed with some when I started delivering leaflets twenty plus years ago, but it is a compromise, just like life.
The majority of voters in Oldham East & Saddleworth didn't vote last night and that makes me angry, people have died in this country to ensure we have a vote within our democracy and yet some people never vote - often the loudest complainers afterwards and that is a sad state of affairs. I hope that changes after May once the referendum on fair votes has taken place, a great step forward in reforming our politics.
The media have been almost obsessed with the Liberal Democrats during this by-election, predicting doom, gloom, the collapse of our vote, the party going into meltdown, Clegg's resignation, the collapse of the coalition,
Once again they were wrong.
When will the media start reporting on the news and using facts not guess work and their own wild predictions?
The Conservatives suffered the worst in this by-election, losing over 7,000 votes since May, a drop of over 13% in the share of the vote.
Also, a note of warning for Ed Miliband who no doubt is going to be smug about the result - just remember Ed, more people voted for the coalition in this by-election than voted for Labour. You aren't out of the woods yet.
You may have forgotten what Labour did to this great country and the people who live here over the last thirteen years, but they haven't.
The by-election had been called after disgraced former MP, Labour's Phil Woolas was found guilty by two High Court judges of knowingly lying to voters in a last-ditch bid to hold his seat at the General Election.
A mixed week for Miliband - one former MP jailed, one found guilty of fraud and an election hold.
The result of the Oldham East and Saddleworth Parliamentary by-election:
Lab 14,718
LD Elwyn Watkins 11,160
Conservatives 4,481
UKIP 2,029
BNP 1,560
Green 530
Monster Raving Loony 145
English Democrats 144
Bus Pass Elvis 67
Pirate 96
48.06% turnout
Labour HOLD.
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1 comment:
Politics is the same as football? Really?
Isn't the difference that football involves emotional links to your local team through thick and thin.
Politics by contrast is about believing in a particular type of society and world you want to help create, or defend. Poltical parties are merely vehicles to that end - as Roy Jenkins said more eloquently than I can, they are means, not ends. If you disagree with them, there has to come a point of departure, otherwise you are no longer in a political party, but an unthinking, unquestioning tribe.
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