There are four weeks to go – and then we vote.
I was very pleased two years ago when the grouse-shooting-supporting MP for High Peak, Andrew Bingham, lost his seat to Ruth George. I’m rather hoping she can hang on to it this time around.
Ms George has a majority of just over 2000 and faces at least three (probably) and maybe four other candidates (see here).
The LibDem candidate, Guy Kiddey, said he was going to pull out in solidarity with the LibDem candidate in Canterbury (Guy Walker – see here) but has now been pulled by his party (probably now former party) and may be replaced at the last minute (that’s now!) by another. I hope you are keeping up!
Anyway, I just hope that the Brexit candidate (if standing) takes more votes from the Conservative candidate (if standing) than the LibDem and Green candidates (if standing) take from Ruth George (I’m pretty sure she is standing).
If you think that is complicated then you may not want to consider the two other main northern Peak District constituencies of Penistone and Stocksbridge and Sheffield Hallam.
Penistone and Stocksbridge has been the seat of Angela Smith since 2010 and until this year that has meant for the Labour Party but Angela has moved from Labour to Independent, to Change UK, to The Independents, to the LibDems – and now she has moved to Altrincham and Sale West to stand for parliament there.
This seat will probably be contested by Labour, Brexit, LibDems and Conservatives. Only one of the candidates has stood for election in this seat before, and that is the Brexit candidate who was standing for UKIP two years ago. So, all change here. I wonder how many of the candidates know much about the catchment of the River Don and its grouse moors.
And Sheffield Hallam was pinched by Labour from Nick Clegg (whatever happend to him?) in 2017 by the Labour MP Jared O’Mara who had the whip removed, and then reinstated and then resigned the Labour whip and is not standing for re-election.
On election night I’ll be looking at these three results with great interest. They, in their different ways, illustrate what a fluid picture British politics is right now.
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Fluid, that’s a polite description Mark
Politics has become a farce and one might be forgiven for pondering if that’s what some politicians want in order to further divide and destroy?
Politicians have lost people’s trust and respect, others amongst them have walked away as principles and integrity, honesty and public good are abandoned for pecuniary profit and power?