Last night, I decided to attend the local hustings evening for the prospective parliamentary candidates for the constituency in which I live, Hackney South and Shoreditch. I must admit I was a little apprehensive as to what this evening would be like. I guessed it might be a rather low key event, with not much in the way of interesting political debate, particularly in a constituency which such a safe Labour majority. It was with a pleasant surprise then that I found a hall packed with young and old, all politically charged and buzzing with a keenness for political debate. Indeed, there were some startlingly brave and impassioned speeches from the audience. It was an encouraging reminder to me that there are still very many people who are politically engaged. The trouble is that this is not reflected in turnout (turnout at the 2005 election for Hackney South and Shoreditch was less than 50%) or perhaps more pertinently, what seems the likely failure of any of the main political parties to achieve a majority on 6th May
Indeed, what was striking amongst the audience was not their passionate support for any political party; rather their cynical distrust of them. the passion not of their support for any political party or policy but their cynicism and distrust of them.
As for the performances of the respective candidates for the three main parties (there were representatives from all the minor parties also), it was remarkable that they seemed to represent a microcosm of the first leaders debate on Thursday. The sitting Labour MP, Meg Hillier, must have been to the school of Gordon Brown debating as she was very keen on trotting out statistics about crime falling, schools increasing and such like. All very well, but treated with the highest contempt given the experience that all voters have of Labour’s failures in the last 13 years. The Conservative candidate, Simon Nayyar was a polished performer. He spoke articulately and the content of his answers was very agreeable. But he failed to get the audience to warm to him and he came across as sounding not particularly genuine. That is probably an unfair comment as I am sure he is very genuine, but nevertheless it is perception that counts and this is the same major issue that David Cameron has. The Liberal Democrat candidate, Dave Raval, was certainly the best received. He was a little quirky, but he gave succinct answers, never tried to dodge them and often made the audience laugh. Again like the first leaders debate, the content of the Lib Dem’s answers was not really relevant. What was, was the fact that they sounded different and represented change.
As an aside, I should mention who I personally thought the performer of the night was, both in the content of his answers as well as the likability and warmth of his personality. This was the retired police officer, Michael King for UKIP. However, he was always fighting a losing battle in such a left-leaning crowd as I noted to him at the end of the evening.
But back to the Lib Dem surge. As Daniel Finkelstein amusingly commented on Newsnight last night, that although he did not predict their recent marked success, it should have been predictable. For months now the polls have been telling us the people want change; they are just not sure that Cameron has been the man to offer it. While still in this unsure state, the public were introduced last Thursday to a new possible representative of change that they had previously not seriously considered: Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems. Albeit, it was not a particularly useful cross sectional audience, the local hustings I attended suggested that serious consideration of the Lib Dems is taking shape.
I am hoping for a better performance from Cameron tomorrow evening, but I fear that he has left it too late to convince the public that he is the true man to deliver change.
Indeed, what was striking amongst the audience was not their passionate support for any political party; rather their cynical distrust of them. the passion not of their support for any political party or policy but their cynicism and distrust of them.
As for the performances of the respective candidates for the three main parties (there were representatives from all the minor parties also), it was remarkable that they seemed to represent a microcosm of the first leaders debate on Thursday. The sitting Labour MP, Meg Hillier, must have been to the school of Gordon Brown debating as she was very keen on trotting out statistics about crime falling, schools increasing and such like. All very well, but treated with the highest contempt given the experience that all voters have of Labour’s failures in the last 13 years. The Conservative candidate, Simon Nayyar was a polished performer. He spoke articulately and the content of his answers was very agreeable. But he failed to get the audience to warm to him and he came across as sounding not particularly genuine. That is probably an unfair comment as I am sure he is very genuine, but nevertheless it is perception that counts and this is the same major issue that David Cameron has. The Liberal Democrat candidate, Dave Raval, was certainly the best received. He was a little quirky, but he gave succinct answers, never tried to dodge them and often made the audience laugh. Again like the first leaders debate, the content of the Lib Dem’s answers was not really relevant. What was, was the fact that they sounded different and represented change.
As an aside, I should mention who I personally thought the performer of the night was, both in the content of his answers as well as the likability and warmth of his personality. This was the retired police officer, Michael King for UKIP. However, he was always fighting a losing battle in such a left-leaning crowd as I noted to him at the end of the evening.
But back to the Lib Dem surge. As Daniel Finkelstein amusingly commented on Newsnight last night, that although he did not predict their recent marked success, it should have been predictable. For months now the polls have been telling us the people want change; they are just not sure that Cameron has been the man to offer it. While still in this unsure state, the public were introduced last Thursday to a new possible representative of change that they had previously not seriously considered: Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems. Albeit, it was not a particularly useful cross sectional audience, the local hustings I attended suggested that serious consideration of the Lib Dems is taking shape.
I am hoping for a better performance from Cameron tomorrow evening, but I fear that he has left it too late to convince the public that he is the true man to deliver change.
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