Some miscellaneous notes before politics stops being as interesting. I’m going to squeeze in as much as possible, as I don’t think I’ll get away with it otherwise.
When Chris Mole saw the figures, instead of calling for a recount (as we all feared) he reached over to Ben Gummer, extended his hand and said “well done, Ben”. He then read a pre-prepared speech which was peculiarly graceless – not even mentioning Ben’s campaign in the same way that Bill Rammell had. Then on TV the next day he is gracious again.
Why this split behaviour, this departure from the norm? Well it was the Labour Party activists, who seemed to have stitched him up by concentrating on winning the borough, who had stayed to listen. It was very clear that Chris Mole was talking about an imminent election, and he dearly wanted to be the candidate. And Ipswich Labour Party was in no mood to let a conciliatory speaker be there candidate.
I think we won’t see Chris Mole stand again, and instead see a senior figure from the current Labour group emerge as the candidate. Just coincidentally they will probably be one of the same people who decided to cut Chris Mole off.
In other news Alasdair Ross is going as Labour’s candidate as mayor. Yes a real uniter, not a divider. If the Liberals do give it to him then it should keep him busy and away from internal Labour matters. Funny that he’s the candidate as he would be almost as troublesome as John Cook if he rumbled what the Labour group had done. But some people find it hard to think about more than one thing at a time.
Finally my builder called up today to talk about the coalition, he’s barely talked more than two words about politics – and that was just to say that my wife was in a leaflet. It was the main topic in the office, although the known Labour supporters were not chatting so much. At least I know where all the Tories are now should this get to be like the 1990s again.
That’s a lot done.
I will start going back to normal and courting the smaller Bridge specific readership now that the excitement of coalition building and elections seems to have worn down.
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