Tamworth Hustings - 7 Days to go: A two horse race?

You might think it is a two horse race as the latest figures look like this:

Conservatives 35%

Labour             34%

UKIP                13%

Lib Dems          8%

Green Party      5%

But of course it isn't! Every player has the potential to influence the overall result and that's what the hustings event is all about.

The hustings will be split into two sessions, the first of which will feature questions from the community. These will be sent to the candidates by Monday 27th so that they can prepare an answer in their own words (rather than merely read from their manifesto).

The second session will feature questions taken from those present (and you can ask them yourself if you wish) and this, last time we did a hustings event, was the more challenging part of the affair for me as it got close up and personal (but not too personal or offensive).

So let's have those questions sorted - the polls tell us that this is a two horse race but of course with 650 races in the overall competition this provides us with 650 chances for an outsider - and it could be your question that settles it where you are.

Whilst 326 seats marks the overall victory for whichever party would form the government, here at home it's a different battle that contributes to the whole.

So get thinking about what matters to you and if you're not sure what your candidates think:

Ask the question

Removing knighthoods and other stupid acts!

I see that that great bastion of all that is morally right and proper (The Sun) is calling for Sir Jimmy Savile to be stripped of his OBE and knighthood. That's the way to do it, hit the man where it hurts!

Oh yeah, forgot that he is dead and so taking away the honour would do? Exactly nothing, unlike taking Freddy Goodwin's knighthood from him in an act of public vengeance. Now that did something (didn't it?).

How I wish that we would stop the bitter, revenge-ladeen, bleating that is so much a part of this society of ours. We don't seek justice nor do we engage in dialogue that seeks understanding and craves peace but instead we lash out to redress the balance and gain the upper hand (regardless of how Phyrric it might be).

Four years ago the prime Minister of the day (Gordon Brown, remember him?) launched a bail out of the banks and promised a balanced and more moral banking system as a result. here we are four years on and the Chancellor (George Osborne - wouldn't you like to forget him?) is talking about cutting benefits to the tune of £10bn to help balance the books of a financially (to go along with morally) bankrupt nation, thanks to the Bankers and the Labour Party (who last week with their sans Gromit leader promised more 'spend. spend. spend' profligacy).

Seems we have three undesirable parties vying for power  and bankers still living as they did and making money at the top end whilst the drones find themselves redundant and paying for the excesses of the privileged (much like the Church of England according to one critic this weekend!!!).

Forget knighthoods and throwing stones at dead people and let us instead concentrate of those who knew and were complicit in the acts that Savile did. Let us ask questions of those who were, and are, in power regarding PFI scams, the imminent demise of the NHS (a jewel in our nation's fast dimming crown), the excesses of bankers and the so many other real, and accesible, excesses and errors. Let's call upon the Lord for justice (for He does hear and does act).

As for revenge?

Paul has a good thought for the day in the words of Romans 12: 19:

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD.

Barnsley - an exercise in non-deviancy

It was a foregone conclusion that the results from Barnsley would put Labour at the top of the voter's choice. Regardless of the credentials the Labour candidate brought to the contest, it was a certainty that it would have been a labour victory, even if they'd only managed to put a monkey up for office!

And yet I am surprised.

Why?

Well, despite the rhetoric about the ConDem coalition and the talk of betrayed promises and the like, my surprise is that the Barnsley electorate appear to have already forgotten (or perhaps just excused) the mismanagement and maladministration of health service, financial probity, PFI feathering of nests for supporters and more beside as they long fir the good old days. One Labour supporter rang in to a radio discussion to point out that the Tories and Lib Dems were all about cuts but Labour wad about spending in the areas that mattered!

How amazingly barking mad is that?

I'd say I hope they get the government they deserve but as that would be the one that I also got, I hope and pray not!