Readers may recall my interest in a safe (?) Labour-held seat - "Birmingham Northfield". On that thread, the 2005 PPC (Vicky Ford) said that she agreed that the seat could fall to a good local candidate with time to their ground work. In 2005, as with most Birmingham candidates, Vicky was selected far too late. Therefore, it is encouraging that we have selected early this time.
The winner of the selection process was Keely Rogers aged 25 and although I haven't met her, we have many mutual friends. She is local and I believe she stood in the 2004 council elections in one of the Northfield wards. I remember being amused at this article where the hack describes 22 year old Keely making a terrifyingly composed speech whilst being characteristically drerogatory about her accent. Note to London journos. That's what a Brummie accent sounds like and it's a plus if you want to relate to people and win an election in this neck of the woods. Good to hear that she describes herself as a right-winger - that will help too.
Keely is a good, local candidate and has plenty of time to make a mark. I wish her well and hope to assist with her campaign.
7 comments:
I'm sure that lots of voters in Northfield voted Labour because they thought the tory candidate insufficiently right wing. Your political judgment is as sound as ever.
If you met the Conservative councillors of Northfield you will find that Northfield voters have no problem voting for a right-winger. The 2005 PPC seems to agree with my judgment, but of course anon is the expert as usual. Get an ID.
From what I hear, Ms Rogers would make an admirable councillor. She is not though, up to being an MP.
Your electoral logic is splendid though, as ever: centrist tory candidate causes voters to vote for more left wing Labour candidate. Right wing tory candidate causes previously left voting voters to switch. Faultless. Only one thing, wasn't that tried by Hague, IDS and Howard? And isn't Mr Cameron taking the party in precisely the opposite direction and succeeding? But, hey, let's not let logic get in the way of prejudice shall we?
In Birmingham, we suffer under the likes of Khalid Mahmood, Sion Simon, Steve McCabe and Richard (anonymous) Burden. If you've heard that Keely would make a fine councillor, she's better than those four for a start.
The Cameron positioning (for that is what it is) is working well down south, but further north more direct politicians like Andrew Percy in Brigg & Goole are the horses for courses. The Tories tried parachuting Central Office candidates into the West Midlands at the last minute in 2005 - that doesn't work. I'm very happy with the timing and profile of the selections this time. I can understand non-Tories being worried.
I can entirely see, PT, why you personally would favour a narrative that favours the selection as tory candidates of people whom the Daily Mail might touchingly call 'outspoken', but whom the rest of us can see are semi-educated rent-a-quotes. one characteristic that these people have in common however, is self-delusion as to their real abilities.
r u shagging her?
No, but I'll delete your comment when I get round to it.
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