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Here we go

  • Betsan Powys
  • 2 Apr 07, 09:49 AM

Conferences: 4
Manifestos: 2
Candidates already deselected: 1
(the Lib Dems' man in Llanelli, so elusive he's been dumped. Any volunteers?)


So here we go then, round three. They're calling it 'the big one' in Scotland. How are things shaping up here in Wales?

Talk to Labour Party insiders and candidates and they'll tell you things aren't as bad out on the doorstep as everyone keeps telling them it is. But talk to some of the same people and they'll tell you they're working their patch really hard. Why? They're not sure, they just get the feeling that this time round, there's something out there that just might do for them.

Hospital cuts? Cash for Honours? Iraq? Not really ... just a feeling that you think their time is up.

Plaid Cymru, when they're not putting out press releases describing the Tory manifesto as "all substance, no spin", are confident - too confident for one bit of the party. The media men wish the other bit - the number crunchers - would stop chucking figures like 16/17 seats into the pot. Management of expectation and all that. Look what happened in 2003.

The Tories are fine thanks, still slightly taken aback that things - they sense - are going so well, still wondering whether the Cameron bounce will make it safely over here.

And the Lib Dems? Big decisions ahead for them ... no, not whether to watch the Cheeky Girls' new reality tv show, hoping for a glimpse of their Welsh leader but whether they should get into bed with Labour again if invited. Will the party's young Turks have the ammo and the desire to take over?

Our election desk is up and running.

I've had my first run-in with angry candidates.

I've even been granted a blog.

It must be election time.

Comments   Post your comment

Yawn!!!

  • 2.
  • At 02:45 AM on 03 Apr 2007,
  • John wrote:

Who's the Llanelli Lib Dem who's been deselected? I live in Llanelli and was even considering standing for Llanelli in the Assembly elections so I consider myself more politically aware than most.

I would not have known that they have even selected a candidate if I hadn't checked their web site so what chance do most people have of knowing who is offering themselves to the electorate?

By the way, the said candidate (Sam Samuels) is still listed on the Welsh Lib Dem web site as their Llanelli candidate at the time of writing - what's going on?

  • 3.
  • At 10:49 AM on 03 Apr 2007,
  • John R. Walker wrote:

As above Betsan, I hope the Boring Broadcasting Corporation, and its political editors and commentators, won't make the same mistake it made in 2003 by virtually ignoring the smaller Parties in this election.

In your opening shot you have failed totally to mention the important part that can, and hopefully will, be played in this election by the 'professional independents' and the minor Parties.

Given what seems to be a mixture of serial apathy and/or disgust with the status quo, the political commentators owe it to the electorate to show that there are various interesting alternatives out there other than 'none of the above'!

  • 4.
  • At 10:38 PM on 03 Apr 2007,
  • Gareth Thomas wrote:

Betsan is right to suggest that this is a very unpredictable election. Differential turn out will be a big factor. In Clwyd West where I live, I rather think the incumbent Alun Pugh will keep the seat. The opposition candidates don't seem to be making much of an impression. Things might be different if Brinley Williams had done what Helen Mary Jones has done and plumped for this seat and not the list.It must be a difficult time being a Labour candidate. But as someone who was critical of Welsh Labour(when I was in Parliament) I do think they've made quite a good fist of it over the last 4 years under difficult circs. The Assembly is beginning to justify the faith of all those who campaigned passionately for it.

ITV start a series of opinion polls this week. When are the beeb going to start? It's about time we had regular polls here in Wales instead of having to wait four years for the elections.

sanddef

I couldn't agree more. Believe me, we tried and will carry on trying.

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