We are now only a week away from the 2017 general election; one called
as a snap election by Prime Minister Theresa May presumably because she thought
it was politically advantageous to the Conservative Party that she leads. The
calling of a quick election gave parties and candidates just over seven weeks
to create their manifestos, determine their local candidates, raise campaign
war chests and put in place effective campaigns.
As hard as all of that will have been for the established political
parties, think how much harder it will have been for anyone who considered
standing without party support, such as an Independent.
In the East Devon Constituency the political campaigning that has taken
place over the past few weeks has played out, as one might expect, in part
around local issues and local engagement, as well as being framed by the wider
political and economic backdrop that the main parties have played (up) to.
Nationally Theresa May has decided that the best way to win the
campaign is by not debating directly with other party leaders, rather she has preferred
to speak to small groups of invited party members at media events. Until
yesterday the Labour party leader had also decided not to engage in major inter
party debates, rather concentrating on speaking to his faithful in his guise of
the new messiah of the political left. A mantle that has left many who aren’t
members of the Socialist Party or the Socialist Workers Party from refraining “he’s not the messiah, he’s a naughty boy!”
Frankly, there seems little point thinking too much about the
activities of the leaders of the other main English parties – Liberal Democrats,
Greens and UKIP – as whilst they may influence local outcomes by the number of
voters who do and don’t vote for them, nationally none will gain power or, if
the polls are to be believed, influence who forms the next government.
As always Zorro argues that whilst you may (no pun intended) or may not
like a particular national political leader, what voters should really
concentrate on is who will be representing them and their Constituency in
parliament. Because after all we have a representative democracy with your MP
there to represent the interests of their constituents and their constituency,
rather than dogmatically following a particular party line regardless of local concerns.
It is for these reasons that Zorro looks primarily at the
East Devon political landscape. In doing so the past six weeks have shown that
most of the candidates don’t merit being elected to represent the Constituency.
In response to this Zorro hears the cry “that’s
a bit unfair they’re just doing their best!” well, is it unfair and have
they been doing their best?
For those who have paid no attention to the election in
East Devon a brief reminder that the candidates standing are –
- Claire Wright – Independent
- Hugo Swire – Conservative Party
- Janet Ross – Labour Party
- Alison Eden – Liberal Democrats
- Brigitte Graham – UKIP
- Michael Val Davies – Independent
- Peter Faithfull – Independent
Before turning to the two main protagonists Claire Wright http://www.claire-wright.org/ and (Sir) Hugo Swire, Zorro casts his eye over
the five other candidates.
There was a time when the Liberal Democrats could reasonably have seen
themselves as the real and only challengers to the Conservative party dominance
in this Constituency. But, their time came and went in part because local
independent politics became the main force that challenged the North Korean style
political leadership that the Conservatives use to run East Devon District
Council. The Liberal Democrats’ appeal also disappeared when in the last
general election they were virtually wiped out of British politics following
their flirtation with coalition government propping up a minority Conservative government
led by David Cameron. Even if the Liberal Democrat candidate lived in the
Constituency Zorro can’t believe she would poll any better.
The Labour Party knows that hell will freeze over the
whole of East Devon before anyone sporting a red rosette will win the seat.
More than anything the candidates that the Labour Party put up in East Devon
are either those like the previous candidate Steve Race who saw this as good
experience for (hopefully) a more winnable seat or like the current candidate
the party determines someone (anyone) has to stand.
There was a moment in recent political history when UKIP
believed their own hype that they could become the great white (literally) hope
for the dispossessed and bigoted right in this country. But, since their multi-time
leader Nigel Farage fell in love with Donald Trump and found a new career as a
radio shock jock and handed over to fantasist Paul Nuttall the party, its
supporters and its votes have all been in freefall.
In East Devon the fact that both the Labour Party and the Liberal
Democrats are standing means that those voters who are in the political centre
or centre left and decide to vote for either of these parties candidates will
waste their time and vote. This will be to the detriment of progressive
Independent candidate Claire Wright. In whose interests do these parties and
their candidates stand? It has to be the Conservative Party’s interest as they
will split the anti-Tory vote once again.
Those who see UKIP a politically attractive seem to be turning to the
Conservative Party obviously to the benefit of Hugo Swire.
There are two unknown Independent candidates – Michael Val Davies and Peter
Faithfull. Michael still remains unknown and Peter has made it clear that he is
fighting the election in the forlorn hope of standing up in the House of Commons
to use parliamentary privilege to speak about the tragic disappearance of Genette
Tate all those many years ago. This is not a good use of our political system.
So, electors are left with a straight choice for their MP – Claire Wright
or Hugo Swire.
Hugo seems to have decided to follow in his leader’s footsteps by
deciding that the electors who turn up to the various hustings are not worthy
of his time. Zorro can appreciate that when one lives outside of the
Constituency, as Hugo does, it must be a real hassle to have to keep travelling
to and from it day after day in an election campaign. Also Hugo found out the
hard way in the last election how effective a candidate Claire Wright is. So,
his approach in this election has been to avoid head to head public
discussions!
Perhaps Zorro has been a bit unfair to Hugo. After all he was “grilled” by locals as his own website
quoted. In fact the headline to the story behind this was “MP
Hugo grilled by St Peter’s”. Yes, Hugo allowed pupils in
years 7 and 8 at St Peter’s preparatory school to ask him questions! That
really must have tested Hugo!
But Zorro feels that as St Peter’s “is set in 28
acres of beautiful countryside” it must have been a welcome respite from the occasional
accidental encounter with a real live adult voter!
The candidate who has made herself very widely available whether on the
doorstep or at organised hustings has been Independent candidate Claire Wright.
Claire has no party or wildly rich backers to fund her campaign.
She has had over the past six weeks to decide to stand in the election,
create a campaign team, get publicity poster and a manifesto printed, fit in
extensive campaigning into her already busy life, recruit hundreds of
volunteers to help get her message across to voters on the doorstep and to fund
raise over £10,000 to pay for all of this!
It’s still not too late to help financially support Claire Wright’s
campaign. Just follow this link and have your bank card to hand – https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/2644/claire-wright.
There is a genuine buzz about Claire and her campaign. She has attended
all of the hustings organised across the Constituency. She has pounded the streets
knocking on doors across the Constituency. She has fought this campaign as if
she wants to win and to become our MP. Indeed the respected pollsters YouGov put
Claire Wright ahead of Hugo Swire and to win in the election. This is highly
significant!
The real choice in East Devon falls between Claire Wright and Hugo
Swire. Voters will have seen Claire as a visible campaigner across East Devon.
Whereas Hugo has used the campaign as an excuse not to be in London and to
direct his attention to those who he feels most comfortable with – school children
at a fee paying prep school.
Zorro and Mrs Zorro know who will make the best person to represent
them, family and friends in parliament for the next five years. It certainly
isn’t a man who has hidden whilst in parliament and hidden away from voters in
this election campaign. Rather it’s a young woman with a vision and enthusiasm.
It’s time for East Devon voters to make their minds up – more of the
same or something different! Zorro sees it as time for change!
Vote Claire Wright! Free to speak. Free
to act.
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