[Politics] Does it matter where constituency candidates come from?

[Bozza]

Liz from Labour bravely made her way up my drive a few evenings ago to ask me about my voting intentions.

I say bravely because Henry, my large Labrador, was barking quite ferociously at her whilst I sat on the doorstep dripping with sweat having just completed a run.

Henry's a complete softy, but she wasn't to know that.

Anyway, at the end of our chat she asked me how likely out of 10 I was to vote for Labour. I said six. If I had ten voting probability points to distribute, the Liberal Democats would have the remaining four.

Yesterday I did a bit of research on Tom Rutland, the Labour candidate for East Worthing and Shoreham, and quickly found out he was recently a councillor in Lambeth. He resigned to pursue his Parliamentary ambitions. From best I can tell he has absolutely no connection to this area at all, it's just a vehicle to get him to where he wants to be. That's Westminster, not West Sussex.

East Worthing and Shoreham comes calling for Labour Cllr Tom Rutland as Streatham residents seek out their missing man

If you’re a resident in Streatham Common and Vale ward then Saturday might be a momentous morning for you

www.brixtonbuzz.com

AWOL Labour Cllr Tom Rutland finally resigns from Lambeth Council to concentrate on becoming the next MP for East Shoreham and Worthing

Two by-elections now look set to take place in Lambeth following the resignation of yet another Lambeth Labour Councillor.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

My Labour voting probability is now zero out of ten.

I know all parties do this to some degree or another, but that doesn't make it right. I just don't want to vote for someone who has little/no connection to the local area.

This subject came up in this thread, and @arewethereyet?'s views mirror my own.

So, does it matter to you where a candidate comes from?

 

[The Clamp]

I think they should have connections and history in their consistency and vitally, live here as their only residence.

 

[Questions]

I feel exactly the same about young Tom. Almost certainly a decent chap but who is he ? I thought Carl Walker would get the gig but he stood against Labour as a NHS candidate a while back. That excludes him apparently.

 

[pasty]

Yes. An MP should have local knowledge and connections to be able to properly represent their constituents in parliament.

 

[chickens]

I don’t mind people being fairly new to an area, they don’t need to be born and raised, even a year or two living locally is enough, but I absolutely don’t want them parachuted in just because they want to go to Westminster.

All parties do it, and I don’t like it at all.

 

[KZNSeagull]

How hard working is more important. Our last MP was not from this area but worked extremely hard on local matters and was seen out and about pretty much every weekend, whereas the previous incumbent was local to the North East but appeared to do bugger all. Local and hard working is obviously best.

 

[Bozza]

Could Wycombe's loss be (East) Worthing's gain?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Sorry to derail, but I have to do it to make my point

If the Tories are kicked out isn't that all that really matters?

It's a nice bonus if they are from the area.

 

[beorhthelm]

without looking it up, reckon most dont have links to the constituency when they first stand. at least seems that way.

i think it matters to about 1% of the electorate, who will rarely check such things.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Luckily, the candidate of my choice, this time around, not only lives in the Lewes constituency, but also in Newhaven, which is a big plus in his favour, as many locals feel that Lewes dumps on them (literally).
Previous candidates were very much part of the Lewes set, including Baker.

I don’t agree with parachuting candidates into any area, no matter which party. MPs should represent their constituents but most just slavishly follow the party whip, which is why people are fed up with politicians.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

As I said in the other thread, apologies for repeating myself, it does not matter to me. There are plenty of other qualities I’d put way ahead of where they live. I appreciate there’s an argument that local people will better understand local issues, but this is not insurmountable if the prospective MP can listen and is understanding of people and situations…..which is one of the qualities I’d put way ahead of their location.

As for using East Worthing as “ a vehicle to get him to where he wants to be [Westminster].” Again, if they have good intentions and will be a good member of parliament then I’d be honored to have them use my constituency.

It was mentioned in the other thread that Caroline Lucas was parachuted in to Brighton from Brussels; I never knew this. I think the majority of people will agree she was a fine constituency MP and engaged and active at the local and National level and this is all that really matters to me.

 

[Whitechapel]

without looking it up, reckon most dont have links to the constituency when they first stand. at least seems that way.

i think it matters to about 1% of the electorate, who will rarely check such things.

I also live in Shoreham & East Worthing; same as Bozza, and the Tory leaflet that’s lining the bottom of my recycling bin made a big deal of it being “London Labour v Local Leila” so they’re obviously hoping it’ll swing a few votes.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Nus Ghani was parachuted into Wealden after failing in her native Birmingham. Labour's candidate is from Sussex at least but Wealden is too blue for him to win. The Lib Dem is a councillor in Guildford. So much as I would like someone local (especially as the Tories keep loading up our district council with rich blokes from other parts of Sussex), I will have to try and forget how many times Liberal Democrats tried to kill our football club and go for an out of towner.

 

[cunning fergus]

Liz from Labour bravely made her way up my drive a few evenings ago to ask me about my voting intentions.

I say bravely because Henry, my large Labrador, was barking quite ferociously at her whilst I sat on the doorstep dripping with sweat having just completed a run.

Henry's a complete softy, but she wasn't to know that.

Anyway, at the end of our chat she asked me how likely out of 10 I was to vote for Labour. I said six. If I had ten voting probability points to distribute, the Liberal Democats would have the remaining four.

Yesterday I did a bit of research on Tom Rutland, the Labour candidate for East Worthing and Shoreham, and quickly found out he was recently a councillor in Lambeth. He resigned to pursue his Parliamentary ambitions. From best I can tell he has absolutely no connection to this area at all, it's just a vehicle to get him to where he wants to be. That's Westminster, not West Sussex.

East Worthing and Shoreham comes calling for Labour Cllr Tom Rutland as Streatham residents seek out their missing man

If you’re a resident in Streatham Common and Vale ward then Saturday might be a momentous morning for you

www.brixtonbuzz.com

AWOL Labour Cllr Tom Rutland finally resigns from Lambeth Council to concentrate on becoming the next MP for East Shoreham and Worthing

Two by-elections now look set to take place in Lambeth following the resignation of yet another Lambeth Labour Councillor.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

My Labour voting probability is now zero out of ten.

I know all parties do this to some degree or another, but that doesn't make it right. I just don't want to vote for someone who has little/no connection to the local area.

This subject came up in this thread, and @arewethereyet?'s views mirror my own.

So, does it matter to you where a candidate comes from?

Yes it does, in simple terms, there should be rules to prevent the likes of Shaun Woodward (now retired from Government) from getting anywhere near the levers of power. The fact that he served in a Tory administration (Witney constituency), crossed the floor before 97 to serve in the Labour administration (St Helens constituency) tells you all you need to know about the corruption that exists in the establishment.

His political skills emanated principally from the fact he was married to a Sainsbury’s heiress and that family’s willingness to sponsor the political parties in control. When he was in the Labour Party he was the only MP that had a butler.

It is because of people like him this country is well in the shit, personal wealth and corporate interests should not be indulged by political parties in the way that they do, and in that context they are all guilty.

Shaun Woodward - Wikipedia

search.app

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Liz from Labour bravely made her way up my drive a few evenings ago to ask me about my voting intentions.

I say bravely because Henry, my large Labrador, was barking quite ferociously at her whilst I sat on the doorstep dripping with sweat having just completed a run.

Henry's a complete softy, but she wasn't to know that.

Anyway, at the end of our chat she asked me how likely out of 10 I was to vote for Labour. I said six. If I had ten voting probability points to distribute, the Liberal Democats would have the remaining four.

Yesterday I did a bit of research on Tom Rutland, the Labour candidate for East Worthing and Shoreham, and quickly found out he was recently a councillor in Lambeth. He resigned to pursue his Parliamentary ambitions. From best I can tell he has absolutely no connection to this area at all, it's just a vehicle to get him to where he wants to be. That's Westminster, not West Sussex.

East Worthing and Shoreham comes calling for Labour Cllr Tom Rutland as Streatham residents seek out their missing man

If you’re a resident in Streatham Common and Vale ward then Saturday might be a momentous morning for you

www.brixtonbuzz.com

AWOL Labour Cllr Tom Rutland finally resigns from Lambeth Council to concentrate on becoming the next MP for East Shoreham and Worthing

Two by-elections now look set to take place in Lambeth following the resignation of yet another Lambeth Labour Councillor.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

My Labour voting probability is now zero out of ten.

I know all parties do this to some degree or another, but that doesn't make it right. I just don't want to vote for someone who has little/no connection to the local area.

This subject came up in this thread, and @arewethereyet?'s views mirror my own.

So, does it matter to you where a candidate comes from?

I'm a labour member and I agree with your reaction.

I'd probably dig into the candidate a bit though. Has he moved down there to settle, for example? If you move somewhere to take on a new job you can learn about your new surroundings.

I would rather have a good candidate who will do a good job for their constituents, rather than some arse. Even if the arse is Born and Bred.

We can all think of Born and Bred arses.

 

[Boys 9d]

Didn't the Americans invent the term Carpetbagger?

 

[chickens]

MPs should represent their constituents but most just slavishly follow the party whip, which is why people are fed up with politicians.

I agree with you, but if you listen to those two “centrist dads” on The Rest Is Politics, Rory suggests that where governments have changed over the past couple of decades is how the party whips are used.

In governments past, the three line whip was only used for issues that were part of the manifesto or considered of existential importance to the party, more modern governments have used the three line whip as a matter of course in almost every vote, effectively removing the individual MP’s ability to vote with their conscience without effectively risking being suspended or removed from the party.

I would personally welcome something that ensured that a three line whip could only be used for manifesto issues, and return a bit of autonomy to the local constituency MP.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Somewhat, but it matters more how you serve the constituency once you’re elected and the degree of parachuting in.

Peter Kyle was from Bognor in the wrong Sussex, but has been great in Hove & Portslade.

I’ve nearly finished Rory Stewart’s book and he had no connection to his constituency, but his Scottish house was at least in the same sort of map area in the Scottish side of the border. He worked incredibly hard to “learn” and serve his new community.

I’d say either of these are far better that the Brighton councillors Labour got in from Leicester.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

As I said in the other thread, apologies for repeating myself, it does not matter to me. There are plenty of other qualities I’d put way ahead of where they live. I appreciate there’s an argument that local people will better understand local issues, but this is not insurmountable if the prospective MP can listen and is understanding of people and situations…..which is one of the qualities I’d put way ahead of their location.

As for using East Worthing as “ a vehicle to get him to where he wants to be [Westminster].” Again, if they have good intentions and will be a good member of parliament then I’d be honored to have them use my constituency.

It was mentioned in the other thread that Caroline Lucas was parachuted in to Brighton from Brussels; I never knew this. I think the majority of people will agree she was a fine constituency MP and engaged and active at the local and National level and this is all that really matters to me.

This.

If you have travelled a bit and lived abroad you perhaps learn to focus on the value of the person, rather than their accent and antecedents.

The Tories are of course exercising their enormous chutzpa about the parachuting-in of candidates. They parachuted Johnson in after all, and will probably parachute him in again after Sunk implodes.

 

[studio150]

No, far for more important they take an interest in and help the locals once elected.

Although if they were supporters of our friends up the road, regardless of which party they were from, they would not get my vote.