Good god it's started. Those first few, insidious inserts placed between the ads on Channel 4. It's brief, you could miss it easily, but the logo and music is unmistakable. Big Brother is coming back...
...aha - the explanation, and thank goodness I'll be out of the country when it all kicks off. Another reason to enjoy being on holiday.
20050516
Docu evening
The evening's been spent in front of the box watching a Channel 4 evening line-up of documentaries. First off was "Operation Muslim Vote", following the campaigning of MPACK (The Muslim Public Affairs Committee) at the general election just gone. Whether you agree with their campaign or not, that fact that anyone makde an effort to get the electoral out to vote has got to be a good thing.
Second this evening was "The Explosive 80s: the Storm and the Crash"; looking at the great storm of '87 and the stock market crash that followed. An unforgettable few days for a lot of people. I was only about 9 years old at the time, but I do remember a lot of it going on, particularly that the actor who played Renee in Allo Allo had been injured when a tree hit his car, and that the Topiary of the local Levens Park had been damaged by the high winds. I recall less about the stocks and shares, but I suppose that's not all that interesting when you're nine.
Second this evening was "The Explosive 80s: the Storm and the Crash"; looking at the great storm of '87 and the stock market crash that followed. An unforgettable few days for a lot of people. I was only about 9 years old at the time, but I do remember a lot of it going on, particularly that the actor who played Renee in Allo Allo had been injured when a tree hit his car, and that the Topiary of the local Levens Park had been damaged by the high winds. I recall less about the stocks and shares, but I suppose that's not all that interesting when you're nine.
20050512
Ebay
Ebay is one of those sites that be a lot of fun to browse and see the enormous range of stuff that's on sale. I rarely go there to find something I want; I'm generally of the opinion that I possess quite enough clutter already; however for those with the time and inclination, it's surely both a great buying and selling tool. Get rid of whatever you want clearing. My favourite auction at the moment is for a former Virgin Trains buffet car. Relive those moments as you ordered a giant cookie and a somewhat watery hot chocolate while en-route to a weekend away in London, or simply sell the thing for scrap. The possibilities are endless.
20050508
The election in review
It was another late night on Thursday, to watch and absorb as much election coverage as possible before I reached the point where, if I was to stay up any longer, it would no good to anything the following day at work. As it was, when I went to bed at 2pm, it was looking as if things might get quite interesting, that the LibDems might make real in-roads, and that maybe that the Labour majority would be a lot more severely slashed than predicted.
The next morning came and, rather disappointingly, the results were almost exactly as the exit-polls had forecast. Dull, predictable, and a retention of the status quo, although in the areas I had my eye on it was all change at least.
Here in Wimbledon the incumbent Labour MP lost out to the Tory candidate, and the constituency returned to its native shade of blue. In contrast, my home constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale bucked the trend and turned from being a staunch Conservative area to voting in the LibDems. I never though I'd see it happen, but it sounds as if the LibDems had been doing a great deal of campaigning locally, and I wonder if many others found the Tory pledges as off the boil as I did. As it was, Tim Collins was the only 'scalp' of the Shadow Cabinet that the LibDems managed in their plan of Conserative decapitation. At least it brought some rare media coverage to my native area.
The upshot of the results are that Blair admits he has been sent a message. Whether he does actually take this into account or not, we shall have to see, but we may see his ability to push through any old policy to be significantly checked. Furthermore, there's already dissent in the backbench Labour ranks as regards Blair's staying as party leader and PM. Blair has pledged to stay on, but turbulent times could well be in store.
On the opposition benches the Conservative didn't make the progress they'd hoped for, and, rather predictably, Michael Howard is stepping down as leader. This is fair enough though, as I believe Howard thinks he's given it his best shot, and the party still came up well short. Unlike that of his recent predecessors however, Howard's resignation is a rather more measured move, in that he's staying on until the procedure by which a new party leader is elected has been reformed. This does bring up the interesting question as to who may step up as a new leader. The Conservative party does seem to lack likeable, charismatic characters. With luck, someone may be waiting in the wings, and if one thing the country needs, it's an effective parliamentary opponent for Blair.
The LibDems did well in terms of share, but under the electoral system we current employ they have a difficult time of things making significant in-roads. They gained about a dozen seats to bring them up to 62, but you can understand their frustration when, under PR, they've have in the region of 150 seats.
Elsewhere a few independents got a look-in. George Galloway capitalised on the anti-war sentiment in East London, although I was pleased to see that Kilroy didn't get anywhere in his electoral hopes. I think people have seen through the tanned facade, not least through some of the documentaries aired on Channel 4.
Overall, it seems that each party failed to see the full picture. Labour needed to have their majority slashed to finally become aware of the public disquiet with the way they've been running things. I still don't think the Conservatives see where they've gone wrong, and I'm unsure if a new leader will change this. A uncertain future may still lie ahead there. As for the LibDems, they've done well to capitalise on national anti-war sentiment, but seemed to have focused their sights on capturing Tory seats, where in hindsight they should have be sureing up their current seats from Tory attack and plotting their course to make more in-roads into Labour territory.
In the end, the result was far from remarkable. It was predictable, and was accurately predicted. The fact that each party has squabbled for the middle ground on the same themes haven't helped matters, as the distinctiveness and endearing values of each party is in grave risk of being lost, leaving a bland middle-ground political mulch, inspiring few to vote and failing to enthuse the electorate in backing a distinctive road ahead. The Conservatives also lost out from an excessively negative campaign, while Labour similarly was too transfixed by the vampirish stare of Howard and did too little to highlight their successes. The LibDems also need to work on delivering a more decisive blow through more distinctive policies.
The new parliament will likely head in two directions. We may see change and a greater regard by the government for the dissenting opinions of the public, or we may seem much of the same. For the sake of politics in this country, I'm hoping for change.
The next morning came and, rather disappointingly, the results were almost exactly as the exit-polls had forecast. Dull, predictable, and a retention of the status quo, although in the areas I had my eye on it was all change at least.
Here in Wimbledon the incumbent Labour MP lost out to the Tory candidate, and the constituency returned to its native shade of blue. In contrast, my home constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale bucked the trend and turned from being a staunch Conservative area to voting in the LibDems. I never though I'd see it happen, but it sounds as if the LibDems had been doing a great deal of campaigning locally, and I wonder if many others found the Tory pledges as off the boil as I did. As it was, Tim Collins was the only 'scalp' of the Shadow Cabinet that the LibDems managed in their plan of Conserative decapitation. At least it brought some rare media coverage to my native area.
The upshot of the results are that Blair admits he has been sent a message. Whether he does actually take this into account or not, we shall have to see, but we may see his ability to push through any old policy to be significantly checked. Furthermore, there's already dissent in the backbench Labour ranks as regards Blair's staying as party leader and PM. Blair has pledged to stay on, but turbulent times could well be in store.
On the opposition benches the Conservative didn't make the progress they'd hoped for, and, rather predictably, Michael Howard is stepping down as leader. This is fair enough though, as I believe Howard thinks he's given it his best shot, and the party still came up well short. Unlike that of his recent predecessors however, Howard's resignation is a rather more measured move, in that he's staying on until the procedure by which a new party leader is elected has been reformed. This does bring up the interesting question as to who may step up as a new leader. The Conservative party does seem to lack likeable, charismatic characters. With luck, someone may be waiting in the wings, and if one thing the country needs, it's an effective parliamentary opponent for Blair.
The LibDems did well in terms of share, but under the electoral system we current employ they have a difficult time of things making significant in-roads. They gained about a dozen seats to bring them up to 62, but you can understand their frustration when, under PR, they've have in the region of 150 seats.
Elsewhere a few independents got a look-in. George Galloway capitalised on the anti-war sentiment in East London, although I was pleased to see that Kilroy didn't get anywhere in his electoral hopes. I think people have seen through the tanned facade, not least through some of the documentaries aired on Channel 4.
Overall, it seems that each party failed to see the full picture. Labour needed to have their majority slashed to finally become aware of the public disquiet with the way they've been running things. I still don't think the Conservatives see where they've gone wrong, and I'm unsure if a new leader will change this. A uncertain future may still lie ahead there. As for the LibDems, they've done well to capitalise on national anti-war sentiment, but seemed to have focused their sights on capturing Tory seats, where in hindsight they should have be sureing up their current seats from Tory attack and plotting their course to make more in-roads into Labour territory.
In the end, the result was far from remarkable. It was predictable, and was accurately predicted. The fact that each party has squabbled for the middle ground on the same themes haven't helped matters, as the distinctiveness and endearing values of each party is in grave risk of being lost, leaving a bland middle-ground political mulch, inspiring few to vote and failing to enthuse the electorate in backing a distinctive road ahead. The Conservatives also lost out from an excessively negative campaign, while Labour similarly was too transfixed by the vampirish stare of Howard and did too little to highlight their successes. The LibDems also need to work on delivering a more decisive blow through more distinctive policies.
The new parliament will likely head in two directions. We may see change and a greater regard by the government for the dissenting opinions of the public, or we may seem much of the same. For the sake of politics in this country, I'm hoping for change.
20050505
The big night
Well that's it, the deed is done. I have exercised my democratic right once again, and a night of speculation, statistical dissection, comment and swingometers is in store. It's been a funny one this time. Although the polls seem to be pretty similar, with a largely unspoken assumption that Labour will get in for another term, there's a noticeable absence of any mention of assured victory in the papers or elsewhere for that matter. There's a feeling of the election being pretty much up in the air still, and I've got to say, in stark contrast to the 2001 election, this makes for a potentially exciting result in prospect. Whether the reality will meet the expection is quite another matter, but for now, things are looking good for a night in front of the box.
I actually saw a chap with a large blue rosette in Wimbledon village on the way back home from work. It's the first real campaigner I've seen, excluding someone handing out leaflets for the independent candidate standing at the train station last week. The blue-rosetted man may have actually been the Conservative candidate for the constituency, and as such might be in with a look-in for the local seat. I was tempted to go up to him and bolster his spirits, as he was looking rather lost, studying a piece of paper with what I assume were the addresses of should-be Conservative households. However then I realised that I would have to own up to having no intention of voting for him, and I didn't want to spoil his afternoon, assuming someone hadn't done so already.
However if I had spoken to the possibly-local-Conservative-candidate-man, I expect I would have said something along the following lines: "Hello there! How's the last minute canvassing going?....all the best for this evening....no, I won't actually be voting for you, but then the chap I've voting for isn't likely to get in, and if you do oust the Labour guy and reduce their majority it'll be no bad thing." Good intentions, but sounding a touch insincere, so probably just as well I gave it a miss.
I actually saw a chap with a large blue rosette in Wimbledon village on the way back home from work. It's the first real campaigner I've seen, excluding someone handing out leaflets for the independent candidate standing at the train station last week. The blue-rosetted man may have actually been the Conservative candidate for the constituency, and as such might be in with a look-in for the local seat. I was tempted to go up to him and bolster his spirits, as he was looking rather lost, studying a piece of paper with what I assume were the addresses of should-be Conservative households. However then I realised that I would have to own up to having no intention of voting for him, and I didn't want to spoil his afternoon, assuming someone hadn't done so already.
However if I had spoken to the possibly-local-Conservative-candidate-man, I expect I would have said something along the following lines: "Hello there! How's the last minute canvassing going?....all the best for this evening....no, I won't actually be voting for you, but then the chap I've voting for isn't likely to get in, and if you do oust the Labour guy and reduce their majority it'll be no bad thing." Good intentions, but sounding a touch insincere, so probably just as well I gave it a miss.
20050502
Election time
I'm in the fortunate position of living in a marginal constituency; that relatively rare instance where one Member of Parliament is perilously close to being overthrown by an opposing candidate. That would, you would think, enhance interest in the campaigning going on upto polling day, now just three days away. Yet aside from a few posters around for an independent running on a take Blair to court banner, local excitement at the potential of an electorial upset has been utterly absent, with next to no evidence of posters in windows and candidates on the streets (at least at the times when I'm been treading the tarmac).
I see myself as an exception to most of the electorate. I studied politics, and I'm the sort of person who stays up to the wee small hours of the morning on election night to see the results being called across the country, and the picture of victory or defeat emerge for each respective party. Yet even I am having trouble with choosing a local candidate to vote for.
The problem is that my constituency has traditionally be a Conservative area, but since 1997 has been in the hands of Labour. Using the website whoshouldyouvotefor.com I've been able to affirm the parties whose policies at this election are most in-line with my own feelings. This would indicate that I should vote for the LibDems, yet they come a rather distant third in this area. I could then vote strategically: either to protest again Blair's push to war in Iraq and move toward a presidential-style of leadership by voting for the Tories, or to ensure that the Conservatives with their anti-immigrant policies don't get back in by voting Labour. Yet neither of these options are looking particularly enticing.
I come from a rural and traditionally Conservative area, and do prefer their countryside policies to the town and city focus of Labour, yet at this election the Conservative's policies seem completely at odds with what I value myself, or at best are of no particular interest to me.
With three days to go it seems that my decision on polling day may go as close to the wire as the overall vote in this marginal constituency.
I see myself as an exception to most of the electorate. I studied politics, and I'm the sort of person who stays up to the wee small hours of the morning on election night to see the results being called across the country, and the picture of victory or defeat emerge for each respective party. Yet even I am having trouble with choosing a local candidate to vote for.
The problem is that my constituency has traditionally be a Conservative area, but since 1997 has been in the hands of Labour. Using the website whoshouldyouvotefor.com I've been able to affirm the parties whose policies at this election are most in-line with my own feelings. This would indicate that I should vote for the LibDems, yet they come a rather distant third in this area. I could then vote strategically: either to protest again Blair's push to war in Iraq and move toward a presidential-style of leadership by voting for the Tories, or to ensure that the Conservatives with their anti-immigrant policies don't get back in by voting Labour. Yet neither of these options are looking particularly enticing.
I come from a rural and traditionally Conservative area, and do prefer their countryside policies to the town and city focus of Labour, yet at this election the Conservative's policies seem completely at odds with what I value myself, or at best are of no particular interest to me.
With three days to go it seems that my decision on polling day may go as close to the wire as the overall vote in this marginal constituency.
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