Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 752876)

Dont forget hyndburn constituency covers rising bridge, acre, haslingden, road end and ewood bridge not just hyndburn!
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Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 752888)

Could we ever forget Jen:D

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 752821)

...and of course Greg Pope, as well as Ken, is a local lad.

Originally Posted by g jones (Post 752915)

Greg is a local person and actually came through the Local Resident - Councillor - MP route, representing Hyndburn. Greg is a humble, down to earth person and certainly not a 'sell-your-grandmother' careerist.

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 752894)

Not with me around .. probably not ...

But im just saying what if the candidate chosen was not local ... and he moved to haslingden ...............rather than hyndburn ...

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 752972)

Then he would need his head reading :rolleyes::p:D:D

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 753115)

Haslingden is local. Doesn't Greg actually live in Blackburn even though he grew up in Great Harwood? Please correct me if I'm wrong on that.

Local to me means growing up with the same issues that I had, having the same cultural references, knowing the political and cultural landscape inside out because you're 'here'.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 753121)

I was under that impression too Gayle. I still consider Greg to be local even if he does choose to live in the neighbouring constituency.

Originally Posted by Tealeaf (Post 753126)

He probably lives there because he's a Blackburn Rovers supporter. Which reminds me - I have read nothing on here or in any other media, any comments or statements attributable to Greg on the biggest crisis facing the town since 1962, namely the possible demise of ASFC. Odd that, is it not? Still, I suppose now that he's put in his notice he does not really give a dam if the club goes belly up.

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 753115)

Haslingden is local. Doesn't Greg actually live in Blackburn even though he grew up in Great Harwood? Please correct me if I'm wrong on that.

Local to me means growing up with the same issues that I had, having the same cultural references, knowing the political and cultural landscape inside out because you're 'here'.

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 755270)

Well ive just been to my branch nominating meeting tonight ... and we've picked our branch nominations .... but sorry i cant say who we've chosen as our branch nominations for the short list ...

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 755312)

sorry i cant say .. but in fact we havent ..

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 755324)

It did to me.:p:D

Originally Posted by steeljack (Post 755318)

just out of curiosity , a couple of questions for Shillelagh ......... whats the membership number of the local Hyndburn constituancy Labour party, and how many card carrying members are usually required to select a candidate for the local seat (50% + 1 ) .
And how much influence does Labour Party HQ have over your choice of candidate ?
thanks

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 755376)

how much influence does labour party hq .. none .. its our decision who we pick to nominate.

Originally Posted by steeljack (Post 755411)

How come then that Party HQ can dictate women only lists or select "favourite sons" for safe seats ? :confused: :confused:

Originally Posted by Greg Pope (Post 755375)

Tealeaf raises a fair point - I haven't been all over the media about what I've done to help Accrington Stanley, but that isn't the same as not doing anything. I've worked hard behind the scenes with the Treasury and Revenue & Customs just as you'd expect a Member of Parliament to do, I just haven't tried to claim glory in the press.

Also, for the record, I was born and bred in Great Harwood and I live about half a mile outside Hyndburn. Most MPs seem to me to live in London and visit their constituencies - I'm based here and visit London!

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 763422)

Are we down to the final few yet then? Any names?

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 763499)

.. still havent made my mind up yet ...

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 763504)

That's because you are a woman :p:D:D

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 763499)

shouldnt you be more concerned about picking the conservative candidate rather than the labour candidate? :rolleyes::D

ive the names to choose from .. still havent made my mind up yet .. probably decide on the night ...

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 763547)

I haven't yet been shown a list to choose a Conservative candidate from :) Who are the potential Labour ones then?

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 763551)

like i said .. if you are a member of the labour party then you would know the candidates .. as you arent and a member of the conservative party .. why should i tell you?

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 763551)

like i said .. if you are a member of the labour party then you would know the candidates .. as you arent and a member of the conservative party .. why should i tell you?

Originally Posted by steeljack (Post 763573)

so much for open democracy , its not like you are picking the next Pope ( well maybe you are ;)) , seems to me if the list was open it would give the interested public a chance to lobby their Councillors with their preferances instead of some unknown "gang of 400" Stalinists knowing whats best. :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 763575)

Speaking as a Councillor (who also happens to be chair of the Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party) many members of the public have expressed their opinion to me over several months about who the Labour Party should choose to be their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate.

Originally Posted by steeljack (Post 763579)

yep, those politically aware , but what percentage of the general population could pick you /or any other council member out of a police line up , and know you well enough to stop you on the market and give you an opinion especially when the "list" may contain names from out of the area , its unlikely anyone apart from "the gang of 400" know anything about these people . Surely you would want to know the local folks opinions of potential outsiders before selecting one .

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson (Post 763583)

Hyndburn is a small place. A lot of people do know their local Councillors. And in my experience people are not slow to let you know what they think on many subjects, including who should be the next M.P

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 763584)

People don't actually know all the potential candidates or qualities if the shortlist is a secret. How can they make an informed opinion?

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 763586)

So this means then that when you find out the conservative candidates you will put them on here then? :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 763584)

People don't actually know all the potential candidates or qualities if the shortlist is a secret. How can they make an informed opinion?

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson (Post 763588)

We will have a candidate in a few days time. The Tory party will no doubt select a candidate in due course. Come the election other parties will throw their hat in the ring.

And then it will be up to the electors in Hyndburn to say who they want as their next M.P. That's democracy.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 763660)

Well I believe some if not all of the candidates are as follows:

Graham Jones
George McNamara
Claire Pritchard

This of course is not 'official' as the Labour Party seem to be keeping the list a secret.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 763660)

Well I believe some if not all of the candidates are as follows:

Graham Jones
George McNamara
Claire Pritchard

This of course is not 'official' as the Labour Party seem to be keeping the list a secret.

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 763665)

The Labour Party is not keeping the list secret - however there is no need for anyone other than the members of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party to know the names of the people, who are on the short list.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 763660)

Well I believe some if not all of the candidates are as follows:

Graham Jones
George McNamara
Claire Pritchard

This of course is not 'official' as the Labour Party seem to be keeping the list a secret.

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson (Post 763671)

I cant understand why your so interested Andrew. We keep getting told by the local Tories, that we in the Labour Party have no chance of retaining the seat.

Maybe you think there just might be someone on that shortlist who can defeat the Tory candidate come the General Election.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 763673)

I'm a Politics student who has lived in Hyndburn all my life apart from during my University education. I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility that I might be interested in who's on the shortlist. :D

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 763678)

I can understand that as a Politics student you might be interested in whose name is on the short list. However, unfortunately (for you), as I stated previously, the information is only available to members of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party.

Maybe you would like to join the Labour Party.

Regarding your offer to post details of the aspiring candidates for the Conservative Party nomination - as a member have you checked, whether you are allowed to divulge this information on a public forum.

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 763678)

the information is only available to members of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party.

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 763716)

...but you're "not keeping it a secret" of course. ;)

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 763746)

No we are not keeping it a secret.

However, the selection of a Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Hyndburn Parliamentary Constituency, is a matter for membership of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party and no one else.

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 763746)

No we are not keeping it a secret.

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 764029)

It's really unfair to accuse them of secrecy - every one withholds information from people if it's not considered important at that time, which this isn't until a selection is made. No one else has any say in the decision, so why is it important for everyone to know until it's actually been made.

For example, you are a member of the committee of a community group, you are involved in a couple of projects, at what point do you tell the rest of the group the decisions that you have been making on their behalf - is it every single step of the way or is it when you feel that there is something important to say? Are you keeping secrets or just waiting for the right time to release the information? Just a hypothetical example of course ;D

For example, you've been given some information that's important to husband/wife/partner, etc but it could be a bit distressing - do you wait until they've come home, settled in, had a cup of coffee, etc or do you phone them up and blurt it out over the phone the very minute you heard it.

My point is that people choose the right time to tell other people things, even if they need to know them at some point.

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 764036)

It is secret until/if they tell people. Its that simple. Why don't they don't just admit the fact.

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 764038)

The only people who need to know (and have the right to the information) who are on the shortlist are the members of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party.

Whilst it is perfectly allowable for the rest of the population of Hyndburn to speculate and discuss the merits of who the person that is chosen as the PPC for the Labour Party. They do not have any 'god given' right to the information.

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 764043)

Yet more political doublespeak worthy of a minor party official on the politbureau of some Soviet era Eastern European satellite state.

...in other words it's a secret! :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by cashman (Post 764044)

agree, cannot say the simple fact its a secret, just spin like a top, another reason why i n probably many more folk, just don't bother wi politics any more, maybe one day they will "Get It" but have me doubts.:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 764043)

Yet more political doublespeak worthy of a minor party official on the politbureau of some Soviet era Eastern European satellite state.

...in other words it's a secret! :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson (Post 764046)

If you want to join the Labour Party I'll get a membership form. You appear to interested in the Labour Party and it's internal democracy.

But I have to be honest it's not as exiting at times as being a Stanley fan.

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 764047)

As I implied in my last post, I'm not interested in joining any political party as I regard them all with contempt. I was making a point about the way politicians can't give us a straight answer anymore.

However, if the Labour party is as mundane as you imply, perhaps I should join...I could do with a bit of boredom after the last few weeks! ;)

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 764038)

The only people who need to know (and have the right to the information) who are on the shortlist are the members of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party.

Whilst it is perfectly allowable for the rest of the population of Hyndburn to speculate and discuss the merits of who the person that is chosen as the PPC for the Labour Party. They do not have any 'god given' right to the information.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 764058)

Anyway by the end of tonight we should know who will be representing Labour at the next election between a choice of George, Claire and Graham.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 764058)

It's not about having a 'right' to the information. It's about an open transparent democracy rather than keeping information from people because they've not coughed up the membership fee.

I can't vote in council. The only coercive role I can play is voting for two councillors in my ward. If a similar argument was used I wouldn't be entitled to know what happens in council. As a non-voting member I wouldn't 'have the right to the information'.

Anyway by the end of tonight we should know who will be representing Labour at the next election between a choice of George, Claire and Graham.

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 764214)

it is with great pleasure (as chair of the hyndburn parliamentary labour party) i have the great honour of announcing that the labour party's prospective parliamentary candidate is graham jones.

On the first ballot he had over 50% of the votes.

Originally Posted by Eric (Post 764340)

I read posts like this for interest only; but I do have a question: will there be any other candidates in Hyndburn? Will there be a BNP candidate? Or an independent? Or someone from a revived Rhinoceros Party?

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson (Post 764347)

There's 3 at the moment Eric, Labour, Tory who have yet to select a candidate,

Originally Posted by yerself (Post 764433)

Labour must be scraping the bottom of the barrel. After his continual petty squabbling with andrewb and his edited posts describing all Tories as a shower of manure this is one vote Labour won't be getting.

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 764442)

I wonder if he will be a changed man now and stay a lot quieter.

Originally Posted by Tealeaf (Post 764588)

I don't know how well Graham knows London, but if he is elected and wants to discover the Capital's fleshpots and drinking dens, then I'm quite willing to assist, providing of course, he puts the bill on expenses.

Originally Posted by Tealeaf (Post 764588)

Backbench MP's have nowt to do these days, other than play at lackey dogs for whichever idiots make up the government or the opposition front bench.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 764712)

Congradulations Graham. Does this mean you'll be stepping down as a councillor nearer the election now that you've become Labour's PPC?

Originally Posted by yerself (Post 764433)

Labour must be scraping the bottom of the barrel. After his continual petty squabbling with andrewb and his edited posts describing all Tories as a shower of manure this is one vote Labour won't be getting.

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 764720)

Don't say that Andrew, last thing we want is to have to pay for more local and Country by elections.

Originally Posted by katex (Post 764723)

I understand your thoughts here Yerself; that is Graham's one fault, that he does wear his heart on his sleeve and cannot hold back his feelings with regard to issues. I, myself, do not really see it as a fault ... just a man that cares about Hyndburn. The opposition on here are always very tight-lipped, and watch every (on the rare occasion they comment) word posted, so never really know what they are thinking .. mean councillors of course.

I think, at this moment in time, he is the best candidate for Labour to put forward to fight this next election, as he is very popular, and voters will consider him very strongly over their leanings for a particular party.

My one worry would be that we all know he is capable of handling matters at a local level but can he rise to National level ? Up to him to convince us.

I would seriously consider putting my cross against his name, even though I have voted in other directions in the past.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 764712)

Congradulations Graham. Does this mean you'll be stepping down as a councillor nearer the election now that you've become Labour's PPC?

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 764712)

Congradulations Graham. Does this mean you'll be stepping down as a councillor nearer the election now that you've become Labour's PPC?

Originally Posted by katex (Post 764723)

I understand your thoughts here Yerself; that is Graham's one fault, that he does wear his heart on his sleeve and cannot hold back his feelings.

Originally Posted by g jones (Post 764799)

I agree and I am trying to take a step back sometimes. People bring your family in and all sorts of other nonsense and you feel you have to say something. However as MP there will be a lot more of it and to make progress I'll have to be more diplomatic!!

Originally Posted by g jones (Post 764796)

I love County and District. If I lose I would like to stay in locally.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 764807)

You think you might lose so want to hold on to your district and county seats, yet if you were to win you'd cause two costly by-elections (unless you plan to keep all 3 wages). Sounds like having your cake and eating it.

Originally Posted by andrewb (Post 764807)

You think you might lose so want to hold on to your district and county seats, yet if you were to win you'd cause two costly by-elections (unless you plan to keep all 3 wages). Sounds like having your cake and eating it.