Guest 676- Registered: 1 Jul 2008
- Posts: 521
31 October 2008
00:018405The results are in: Vic Matcham 32, Mandie Sehmbi 219, Ray White 86, Dean Stiles 93, Tony Ovenden 72 and Viv Revell 244
Million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
31 October 2008
05:428406It looks like a good turnout.Well done everyone.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
31 October 2008
06:058407Mandie did well in a traditional labour stronghold. Congrats.
Vic bottom, yet again despite being one of the better known candidates.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
31 October 2008
07:438409A big thanks to Stewart there for getting the news to us hot foot off the wire...
Very interesting figures. Mandies figure is truly extraordinary and she came very close to an upset. Who would have thought the Conservatives would have stood a prayer in St Radigunds..but there we are.
Stunningly disappointing result for Vic. A resounding thumbsdown for his DOVOR campaign, which proabaly finished Vics reputation off in polling terms.People have other worries much more pressing. Vic now might like to rethink Keefs earlier advice about calling it an electoral day.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
31 October 2008
07:548412That is a Labour gain from the Indies,in a pretty difficult time.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
31 October 2008
08:028413JHG
A good result for Labour,a disappointing result for the Indies,who I thought would hold this seat,and a good show for Mandie rather than a good show for the Conservatives.She is a great hardworking girl who unfortunately threw her cards in with the wrong lot.As for poor old Vic,you have to admire his determination but maybe he should redirect that abundance of energy and love he has for Dover into a non political voluntary organisation where his skills would be welcomed with open arms.Time to stop tossing your hat into the ring ol' boy and perhaps start wearing a flat cap of defeat.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
31 October 2008
08:438417Good morning peeps from a very tired house.
I would be a liar if I said I wasn't disappointed with the result, not for myself but for the people of the St radigunds ward who voted for me. I feel I let them down.
However as I tell my children often."You have to be able to lose before you can truly be a winner".
It was a VERY good result for the Conservative party in general. We all predicted it would come down to the wire, and the Labour party had to be a tad concerned to pull Gwynn Prosser in to knock doors last night in a hope of getting people out to vote.
The indies were defeated dreadfully, as were the lib dems.
On a far lighter note
and god I am quick off the mark this morning.
PAUL B YOU QUOTE """"Mandies figure is truly extraordinary"""""""""
Ya darned right there Paul
THINK ABOUT IT !!!!
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
31 October 2008
08:548418So, Mandie lost by 26 votes - a big shame.
Marek, what makes you say she threw her cards in with the wrong lot ?
Labour have shown that they no longer care about the working class and the Conservatives are more socially responsible than Labour.
There is a great misconception that Labour care more about the disadvantaged than the Conservatives do - how wrong can you be ?
Socialism seems to be confused with socially aware, or socially responsible.
Mandie would have been so good for the people of St. Radigunds.
Roger
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
31 October 2008
08:588419Hi Mandie - very well done indeed. You worked hard and so did everyone else to try to get you elected. Close wasn't it ?
Paul's comment was indeed funny, I didn't know he'd looked at you that close. !!
Roger
31 October 2008
09:078420Thanks Roger.
I would just like to thank everyone who helped me with the election.I won't list names, You all know who you are. I could not have done any of it without you, so from the bottom of my heart
THANKYOU !!!!
I also want to thank the people of St Radigunds for going out to vote, no matter how you voted. It proves you care enough about your area, than certain people on this forum would like us to believe. I am sorry I couldn't make it happen for all those who voted for me, but I thank you all for having done so
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
31 October 2008
09:118421Mandie
How does the turnout compare with the last election?Up or down?
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
31 October 2008
09:178422Ah yes indeed I have subjected Mandie's figure to close scrutiny and am very impressed...
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,018
31 October 2008
09:378425Well there we have it .Naturally I had hoped for a Conservative win but the result was very pleasing .mandie the first time I stood back in 1979 I did not get elected .I know how it feels .Mind you even when you win the coming home is hard .For the past few elections I have come home just to be greeted by a cat its a tough old world .The people on here who say it was a good turn out must be joking .Approx 700 votes from about 4000.
Still the hard work now begins for the winner.In a by-election the candidates always get support because the old party machine goes into overdrive .If you stand again Mandie this has been a warm up .
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
31 October 2008
10:578429"What makes you say she threw her cards in with the wrong lot?"
Although I don't believe political allegiance at this level has any real place it is generally a good descriptor of the wards demographic. I'm sure Mandie entered this election to make a difference, working hard and representing the people of St.Radigunds and not toe a party line (which is unfortunately the outcome of using their backing) It would therefore been more 'strategic' to "throw her cards in" with Labour. It is a sad reality that representation at this level is this shallow but is the dysfunctional side of what we call 'democracy' At national level people move to the area to 'represent' us...unbelievable. I'm sure Sue can support the fact that by moving political backing it is possible 'fit in' with a ward's political outlook. I really like what the independents are trying to do and perhaps with time people will realise that this Labour/Conservative thing should have no place at this level.
I agree Roger that Labour have shown they have little concern for the working man as they once did, but the fact is they once did! Conservatives have an awkward job getting around terms with a 'social' prefix, much in the same way the far right Conservatives need semantic twists such as 'collection of individuals' instead of accepting the existance of society. Which leads me to ask why I would vote for someone to represent me who places the needs of the individual (ultimately themselves) above the needs of the collective electorate? By definition people on the left are more socially responsible and aware, placing more emphasis on the whole rather than the individual elements.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
31 October 2008
11:248430The 'party machine' bit is an easy overstatement to make. DT The 'party machine' has no real influence, or direct policy involvement at the Parish Council level and if Mandie were to be elected that 'party machine' would be her and Roger Frayne, so she would have had a 50% say in it!
A Parish Council (which is what DTC really is) has a relatively small budget and no real statutory responsibilites (the nearest to that being allotments)
I believe that the Labour Party involve unelected people in having a say over the policies adopted by their Councillors. That is not the case for the Conservatives. Local policy tends to be made by the elected Conservative councillors representing the Party, as a group. They do share attitudes and values with the Party nationally and this would influence their thinking but that is a strength of a Party label as it provides a shorthand to allow people to understand what individuals stand for.
I personally do not believe that there is a need for Party allegance at a Parish Council level and it was not Conservative Party policy to put up candidates for Dover Town Council in my day (Deal did for historical reasons arising before I was Constituency Chairman).
That said I do understand the reasons for putting up a candidate, though I thought it might be wiser to have supported an independent. At least we did select a first rate candidate in Mandie who did do an exceptional job, I sincerely hope she will come forward again as a candidate at DDC level. We, and Dover, need people like her.
I am left feeling somewhat guilty. With the national economic concerns, since getting back from Spain I have been swamped and had to put my clients interests first, working late and even a bit at weekends. Hence I have had little spare time and did not manage to get out and help her. Even yesterday I did not manage to help despite having every intention of doing so, my sincere apologies Mandie. This is the first Dover election where a Conservative candidate has stood in over 30 years in which I have not lifted a finger to help. Again my apologies Mandie.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
31 October 2008
11:438431the only good thing that out of this is that terrys nfh didnt get close to winning.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
31 October 2008
12:088432I find it fascinating that the two major parties spend so much time trying to denigrate and dismiss the role of the Town Council and yet spend so much time fighting over it. Here is a body designed to represent people at a truly local level by examining planning applications in their area, helping to fund voluntary and social groups, trying hard to preserve infrastucture, working on initiatives for community safety, putting in to practice ideas pushed down from District and County (without funding to back them up), seeking to encourage business into the town, providing a focus for community and local sports and preserving alotments. Town councils are far more than 'parish councils' both in their history and in what they can do achieve and they do it on a genuine local level. And yet the silly game of saying they "don't matter" while doing all they can to incorporate them into party political politics continues. Even the flyers produced relate more to national politics than they do to local issues so why continue to pretend that the Town is not important to you? Dover Town Council deserves some respect for what it is trying hard to achieve so now that the by-election is over can we put the toys back in the pram and get on with the job in hand?
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
31 October 2008
12:268433mandie,im sorry you didnt get the result you wanted but i hope it encourages you to try again at either town or district it was a good efort this time round maybe in time you will get there,best of luck for the future.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
31 October 2008
12:298434Chris. That is very touchy. I was not in any way critising DTC or the manner they work or what they do, I merely pointed out the legal and constitutional status of DTC and placed its role into perspective. It IS a Parish Council, just the same as River PC, its just a bit bigger and has the Cinque Ports role added on... I would have thought that you would agree with me, I am pushing the same message as you, that local government at this level should come under the radar of political parties. Take a cold shower is my advice......
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,302
31 October 2008
12:418438In the last two days I lost count of the leaflets that came through my letter box. When we voted at a previous election the polling station was deserted except for the two ladies in charge. This time there were three "counters" outside, one yellow, one red and one undefinable. We voted at about 19.00. About ten minutes later I got a phone call from one of the parties asking me to vote. Still I suppose it was worth the the effort of the party machines to get 20% away from the telly.
I don't make public political comments, I will just say that the result was interesting.
Another comment I will pass on came from a senior local councillor, who said that if a certain person didn't win then the winner might get a brick through their window!
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?