We are canvassing and delivering surveys in Marlborough West so look out for us and say hello.
Feedback on the doorstep has been excellent, with most people happy to talk, albeit unhappy with politics, with many saying they just don't want to watch the news. Its clear that people of all political shades are very unhappy with where we are, with a fair majority placing blame squarely with the Tories.
If you have decided, like almost everyone I spoke to yesterday, that you absolutely want to remove this Conservative government from power, then there is a 3 stage decision taken in this order: (1) who is the candidate and party most likely to defeat Danny Kruger here in Wiltshire? (2) am I "sufficiently" happy with that candidate and their party's policies and (3) what are the wider implications of that party gaining an extra seat in Westminster. The answers I discussed yesterday with broad agreement are:
Only the Liberal Democrats and David Kinnaird can defeat the Tories here. Even in 1997, at the height of the National Labour landslide with Tony Blair at the height of his powers, In Devizes and Salisbury, the Lib Dems came second and Labour third. Labour have not yet announced a candidate and will rightly focus all their attention on Swindon. The Greens will focus their more limited resources on Bristol. We wish them all the best. East Wilts will be Lib Dem
SO - David Kinnaird - Lib Dems = YES
I hope so. There is no published manifesto yet, but a good public draft version. We offer a broad centre ground policy platform with a firm commitments to 3 key policy areas. Net Zero, Electoral Reform (we have to get rid of First Past the Post - I'll write more about this elsewhere), and finally a path to gradually reclaiming the social and economic benefits of EU membership by, in the future rejoining. (Again, this is a bigger topic - and I don't think it looking backwards as someone said to me yesterday - for young people who have lost so much that we enjoyed, it is very much an optimistic look forwards)
So - Lib Dems = YES
It would be a disaster for the Tories to be re-elected. The second disaster would be Labour Government with a huge majority that would provide them with too much power. A government must be held to account by parliament. The best option has to be for the Lib Dems to gain 50-60 seats and to be able effectively to hold Starmer to account.
So - Lib Dems = GOOD
Dear Mr Kruger, Your unconditional acceptance of the behaviour of your friend Mr Dominic Cummings is profoundly disappointing. In your letter to the Gazette you have sought to downplay his actions and cast them as just the sort of act any man in that
