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Election Notes 20/04/10: What does the LibDem surge mean in Brighton Pavilion?

Election Notes 20/04/10: What does the LibDem surge mean in Brighton Pavilion?

It’s one of those mysteries: why isn’t Brighton and Hove a Liberal Democrat stronghold? Next door Lewes has had the services of the extremely diligent Norman Baker since 1997 but any Seagulls fan will spit at the very mention of his name. Brighton got its first MP in 1832* with the Great ... Read more »
Election Notes 18/04/10: Doorstep Gems

Election Notes 18/04/10: Doorstep Gems

I've been out and about canvassing for Labour on the doorstep the last few weeks. Anyone who's done it before will attest to the amusing things you see and hear as your peek into people's lives and homes. These ones tickled: “What election is it? Oh, a General Election. I thought we hadn’t ... Read more »
Election Notes 16/04/10: The PM came to town

Election Notes 16/04/10: The PM came to town

The PM came to town last Friday on the campaign trail and it was fascinating to see him in action at close quarters. I was also glad to shake his hand and share a few words with him. What a nice man. He arrived at BHASVIC to a rapturous welcome. The students from all over Brighton were on ... Read more »
Election Notes 14/04/10: Has anyone got Alanis Morissette's number?

Election Notes 14/04/10: Has anyone got Alanis Morissette’s number?

... Read more »
Election Notes 13/04/10: Posters

Election Notes 13/04/10: Posters

I have become a poster spotting obsessive. There is a serious risk of injury as I walk around Brighton examining not just each and every house but each and every pane of glass in each and every window. I’m looking for election posters. I may yet miss pot holes and dog turds. If you spot me ... Read more »
Election Notes 11/04/10: One of our households is missing.

Election Notes 11/04/10: One of our households is missing.

I was down in one of those streets not far from the sea at the weekend delivering Labour stuff. I had pre-addressed leaflets: that means they’re targeted to specific voters based on our canvassing information. We don’t bother writing letters like that to Tories or people who are against telling ... Read more »
Election Notes 10/04/10 : Leaflets

Election Notes 10/04/10 : Leaflets

This weekend, as I sweated my way down the 50th set of basement flat steps on the delivery round I've done so many times in the past few years, I thought to myself that I would have never joined the party had I known quite how many leaflets I would need to deliver to prove my loyalty. God knows how ... Read more »
Election Notes 09/04/2010 The Tragedy of Brighton Pavilion

Election Notes 09/04/2010 The Tragedy of Brighton Pavilion

It’s such a privilege to have a choice of women as your next MP. It’s also terrible. It breaks my heart that Labour, Conservatives and Greens all have credible female candidates. Why are they fighting each other? It’s great that my next MP will be a woman. And yet I look around and see ... Read more »
“I’m not convinced that the Argus wields political influence.”

“I’m not convinced that the Argus wields political influence.”

If I ever needed a reminder that bloggers are everywhere and nothing you ever say is off the record, it came on Tuesday. Something I said on Monday evening at the Brighton Future of News Group (#bfong), as part of a wide ranging discussion about local and national politics, political leaflets ... Read more »
Brighton Scenes #9

Brighton Scenes #9

Two ladies. Diddly diddley dee. Immaculately turned out. Venerable dames, dolled up and not a day under 80 (I guess) but looking fab and much younger. On a Saturday afternoon for a few pre-Christmas drinks with chums in a nice pub not far from the sea. Lady 1: What are you having love? Lady ... Read more »
Labour can win Brighton Pavilion

Labour can win Brighton Pavilion

The Argus has published a poll that puts Labour in the lead in Brighton Pavilion. Labour: 26% Conservative: 16% Green: 12% Link to the clipping. The Green’s Jason Kitcat has rubbished the poll and spent a great deal of bloggage slagging off the use of graphs by every party but the ... Read more »
Finally, the Conservatives have their candidate...

Finally, the Conservatives have their candidate…

For a long time in Brighton Pavilion, Labour has been shadowboxing. We've had our own fabulous candidate Nancy Platts for two and a half years. The Tories chose David Bull initially and he didn’t really make a mark. The Greens have chosen Belgium based Caroline Lucas and she unsurprisingly ... Read more »
The Quiet Moments of Politics

The Quiet Moments of Politics

There’s a great scene in season 6 of The West Wing when Josh Lyman introduces Matt Santos to the unglamorous reality of kicking off a presidential campaign from scratch with the New Hampshire primary. The candidate helps voters unload their trash at the town dump. The scene reinforces the ... Read more »
SCIP Digital Inclusion Event at Labour Conference

SCIP Digital Inclusion Event at Labour Conference

Sometimes the mark of a good meeting or debate is that you emerge with more uncertainty than when you arrived. SCIP Digital Inclusion event hosted by NixonMcInnes and WiredSussex last evening on the Labour Conference fringe certainly left me with more questions than answers. There was a clear ... Read more »