tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8177718752827819284.post7050751882535252962..comments2023-10-17T10:30:30.497+01:00Comments on Non-Provincial Lives: When people vote BNP, they tend to mean itWilliam Canyngehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16837132983769538580noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8177718752827819284.post-78909012465631178052008-06-03T23:18:00.000+01:002008-06-03T23:18:00.000+01:00Officially politically restricted (cough, cough) s...Officially politically restricted (cough, cough) so I couldn't possibly comment . . .William Canyngehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16837132983769538580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8177718752827819284.post-50435942371883443572008-06-03T23:16:00.000+01:002008-06-03T23:16:00.000+01:00Having canvassed for - and indeed organised - the ...Having canvassed for - and indeed organised - the Labour Party in the '94 elections in <I>that</I> borough it was a complete but pleasant surprise to me that we got the eastern seat in the General Election in '97.Andrew Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10763753671606930383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8177718752827819284.post-84402827800303090872008-06-03T23:09:00.000+01:002008-06-03T23:09:00.000+01:00I think the point about the sophistication of loca...I think the point about the sophistication of local electorates is a good one, although the level and type of sophistication depends on the locality!<BR/><BR/>I used to work for a rather well known Tory borough which saw the Labour vote progressively squeezed in the 1998 and 2002 locals, even after Labour swept the board in the parliamentary elections of 1997 and 2001. <BR/><BR/>The only explanation to my mind is that in that place, people wanted low council tax and outsourced services locally (and, it has to be admitted, very effective and efficient services). Nationally, however, they wanted increased investment in schools and hospitals. <BR/><BR/>In both instances, people were not voting like sheep, and knew exactly what they wanted from each tier of government. <BR/><BR/>But, I reiterate - that's just one place in one decade. Generalising from that is as risky as generalising about Burnley BNP from the BNP in Barking.<BR/><BR/>Alliteration so late at night.William Canyngehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16837132983769538580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8177718752827819284.post-62453507106649928652008-06-03T22:58:00.000+01:002008-06-03T22:58:00.000+01:00I wonder whether in local politics we've got quite...I wonder whether in local politics we've got quite a sophisticated electorate, which when dissatisfied with the incumbent parties looks for the most likely alternative to get a change of representative. That'd fit with the idea that there's much less tribal loyalty these days - and the sense that the mainstream parties are quite similar in policy terms.<BR/><BR/>Certainly that's been the basis of many a Lib Dem bar chart (or so it seems to me).<BR/><BR/>As far as Sue's point goes I wonder how much of her party's effort (or for that matter BNP effort) was put in to areas where they didn't expect to do well? Parties target the areas they want to make gains in or defend from insurgencies and I suspect that's a factor as well.Andrew Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10763753671606930383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8177718752827819284.post-58957460774231836622008-06-03T22:10:00.000+01:002008-06-03T22:10:00.000+01:00Interesting that BNP and Green councillors got ele...Interesting that BNP and Green councillors got elected in neighbouring estates in Birmingham. In Lewisham there seems to be an inverse correlation between the Green vote and the BNP - ie any areas where they tend to do well, we tend to do badly and vice versa.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com