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

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Round my way Jeremy Hunt is calling himself the "Local Champion"

 

[Blue3]

Now our twisted political system allows candidates to stand anywhere in the country as long as they own or rent anything that might pass as a dwelling in the constituency at the time of registration but they might have never even visited the area before my intended interview technique for any prospective candidate that might appear on my doorstep will be a little quiz
1) How many and what type of birds are on the flag of Sussex
2) Finish this line from the anthem of Sussex GOSBTS “when you go from Sussex”

 

[Mike Small]

The Conservative candidate is a strange one, haven't had her or her team knock on my door yet, but if thats not a "political appointment" as well then I'll eat my hat...although its weird that two of the issues here are Worthing hospital waiting times and lack of seconday school places, both caused by Tory mismanagement, and those are the two things she's proud of. Working in the NHS she should be well aware of what her own party has done?

I'll add to that some vague sentence in her leaflet about caring deeply about envornmental issues. Why would you actually choose to be part of a Conservative Party (actually represent) who have done so little to rein in the water companies who prioritise profit/shareholders profit/CEO dividend over actual SHIT in the water. Water that her own children might swim in.

The mind absolutely boggles. How on earth can she take herself seriously as a person or a Mum (photos with her and a pram) and then stand as a Tory candidate. I'd prefer Rutland to be more local but I'd also prefer him to win over anyone representing THIS Conservative party,

 

[jcdenton08]

Now our twisted political system allows candidates to stand anywhere in the country as long as they own or rent anything that might pass as a dwelling in the constituency at the time of registration but they might have never even visited the area before my intended interview technique for any prospective candidate that might appear on my doorstep will be a little quiz
1) How many and what type of birds are on the flag of Sussex
2) Finish this line from the anthem of Sussex GOSBTS “when you go from Sussex”

Yes, I imagine canvassers have to put up with all sorts of nonsense.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Even if your MP does know the area, their sexual activities can result in them being suspended like Blunt where my daughter lives.
At one point 24 Tory MPs were suspende, which dropped to 18 just before the election was called.

Choose wisely.

 

[Boys 9d]

View attachment 184191Round my way Jeremy Hunt is calling himself the "Local Champion"

The name boards on public land are against electoral law (at least were when I was politically active) and should be reported to the Acting Returning Officer who should order them to be removed.

 

[jcdenton08]

Even if your MP does know the area, their sexual activities can result in them being suspended like Blunt where my daughter lives.
At one point 24 Tory MPs were suspende, which dropped to 18 just before the election was called.

Choose wisely.

How are we supposed to know in advance who is a wrong’un if allegations aren’t public and they’ve never been prosecuted?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

How are we supposed to know in advance who is a wrong’un if allegations aren’t public and they’ve never been prosecuted?

If you want to work solely on probabilities, don't vote Tory or Reform?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Now our twisted political system allows candidates to stand anywhere in the country as long as they own or rent anything that might pass as a dwelling in the constituency at the time of registration but they might have never even visited the area before my intended interview technique for any prospective candidate that might appear on my doorstep will be a little quiz
1) How many and what type of birds are on the flag of Sussex
2) Finish this line from the anthem of Sussex GOSBTS “when you go from Sussex”

Are we allowed to bring a 20 foot screen into the exam?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

On one hand not being local reduces the chance of a conflict of interest but on the other also makes it harder to detect!

 

[ROSM]

I can fully understand why people would have a concern.

Being local is one of the key criteria I have when placing my x. But it isn't a red line. Bowden was a great local mp despite having no links to kemptown prior to his 1st election.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle came from lewes so close to Brighton kemptown and peacehaven. His replacement was born in peacehaven and is an Albion season ticket holder having lived on London. I believe none of the other candidates in that seat live in the constituency.

In the last election tories had a 'local' joe Miller. I would likely have voted for anybody save farage instead of him as he was a wrong un based on my knowledge of him when he was a party activist and councillor pre being a candidate. His subsequent attempt to get off a drink driving charge proved me right

 

[jcdenton08]

If you want to work solely on probabilities, don't vote Tory or Reform?

This is like saying all Greens or Labour members are antisemitic. It’s a lazy stereotype. I’d rather vote for a party doing due diligence on the local candidate without thinking “oh, they are from X party, so they must be racist/sexist/a paedophile/in love with a fish”.

If there is no prior allegations of impropriety then I don’t think it’s fair on an individual to be labelled by association

 

[Iggle Piggle]

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?

So, for me this has worked completely the other way. Our Labour candidate is local. So local I know her. She's also a massive pain in the arse. Like you, I'm zero to vote Labour but for completely different reasons.

Generally though, I agree with your point. I would like a local not a careerist. A career politician just won't care about any local issues.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

This is like saying all Greens or Labour members are antisemitic. It’s a lazy stereotype. I’d rather vote for a party doing due diligence on the local candidate without thinking “oh, they are from X party, so they must be racist/sexist/a paedophile/in love with a fish”.

If there is no prior allegations of impropriety then I don’t think it’s fair on an individual to be labelled by association

You asked how to decide in the absence of information. If you want to decide but have an insufficiency of data you have to guess.

Personally I prefer to make choices based around information. But, in its absence, if required to make a choice, I'll do what everyone else does. Rely on my gut instinct. AKA my prejudices.

 

[Bold Seagull]

So, for me this has worked completely the other way. Our Labour candidate is local. So local I know her. She's also a massive pain in the arse. Like you, I'm zero to vote Labour.

Generally though, I agree with your point. I would like a local not a careerist. A career politician just won't care about any local issues.

Your councillors really are the ones dealing with local issues. Your MPs should really be voting and acting for the greater good.

Given party MPs typically vote by the whip, their Party policies are of far more importance than their local status or personality.

 

[Zeberdi]

Not sure @Bozza’s question is a yes or no answer. I Fwiw (and my opinion counts for very little ) am a “no” when it comes to parachuting strong candidates into safe seats by any Party but sometimes, it can work in local elections if the prospective candidate has a good personal profile.

Interestingly, the General Election campaign in SW Norfolk will be decided very much on local issues imo. People want a candidate that they feel will represent them, not one that has personal ambitions to climb the political ladder.

Norfolk is still very much a right-wing county and where Reform could have some of the best results in the Country. However, in Liz Truss’s Constituency of SW Norfolk, she is facing a candidate that has been incredibly popular for 20 years as a Mayor, a County Councillor, a District Councillor and Parish Councillor. He’s worked tirelessly for the people of SW Norfolk whereas Truss has barely been seen in the Constituency since being elected to Parliament 14 years ago - we are hearing that that is mattering to people up here. Therefore, in this Tory stronghold, the fact that the Labour Party candidate is local, will matter very much if Truss is to be beaten imo.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Your councillors really are the ones dealing with local issues. Your MPs should really be voting and acting for the greater good.

Given party MPs typically vote by the whip, their Party policies are of far more importance than their local status or personality.

I appreciate the whip argument which really highlights the pointlessness of the whole process to be honest but if someone is local they might at least care even if they end up voting as they are told to. Local MPs that don't care about local issues can get in the bin.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I think it does matter, but it’s one of a number of factors with any candidate. Here in Mid Sussex we have Dave Rowntree parachuted into the constituency as a C list celeb due to being the drummer with Blur running for Labour. He is up against Alison Bennett LD who has lived locally and served as a local councillor for a number of years. No question who understands the local issues better.

But would anyone in mid Sussex have heard of Blur? It's a bit recent and youf for most of them.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I appreciate the whip argument which really highlights the pointlessness of the whole process to be honest but if someone is local they might at least care even if they end up voting as they are told to. Local MPs that don't care about local issues can get in the bin.

Not sure it’s pointless at all. National policy is what shapes the country. Education, NHS, taxation, the economy, law and order - all national policies that will impact local issues.

I mean, just because a local person standing for their party who personally cares about water quality, or train services, or the NHS it matter little if the party they represent doesn’t have policies to help these.

Think people get confused between our constituency based democratic model and our MPs only being focused on local matters. You’re potentially electing a member of government, not just a person to moan about your doctors surgery to.

 

[Since1982]

But would anyone in mid Sussex have heard of Blur? It's a bit recent and youf for most of them.

In Burgess Hill yes, but maybe not in Hassocks and Hurst