Last Tuesday evening Swallowcliffe’s many faceted Chris Stanbury organised an assemblage of those Candidates, who wish to represent local electors in Parliament. The evening was conducted to the BBC ‘Question Time’ formulation. The candidates represented the Conservative, Green, Labour, and Liberal Democrat Parties. There was too Crispin Black who is to be standing as an Independent, and a Mr Malcolm Wood who represented a candidate which the UKIP is minded to field. Alas I have no idea whom that candidate might be.

So far as I was concerned the three more appealing Candidates were Dr.Andrew Murrison, the hitherto incumbent of our new Constituency, Rebecca Rennison, a ‘Young Fabian’ and too the Independent Crispin Black. Undoubtedly the first named. A Warminster GP might seem to fill the local writ the best. One can not doubt that the Labour Candidate will attract a significant number of votes, and if not here she will if so minded, soon find herself a seat elsewhere. The Liberal Candidate will undoubtedly benefit from the Clegg/Cable factor.

Is not Crispin Blacks’ a lost cause? Much as ‘One liked the cut of his Gib’. One was left unsure as to his actual Policy. Independence is a precarious enough life style in Local Government, let alone in Parliament, however Martin Bell and another have been successful before. When a ‘known Liberal’ managed to interpose a question concerning Electoral reform, Black was dismissive concerning the need for it, thus immediately losing my vote. One was too, displeased that the Heckler had posed what I saw as but half a question, for a not dissimilar question had been formally tabled, which concerned not only Electoral Reform, but too the total banishment of Hereditary Peers and the over abundance of Lords Spiritual, (currently numbering 26.) from the House Of Lords. Seemingly Nick Clegg is all in favour of that, and no doubt his appearance on Granada Television last evening will attract many voters to his Party’s cause, as will marital-ly local, financial Guru Vince Cable.

‘Granada’ Brown was much as ever, whilst call me Dave seemingly repeated himself on a couple of points. How explicit was he concerning both National Finances and future Party Funding, or on reform of the Lords?
There is need for change and I will vote for the Party most likely to deliver it. Friday, 16 April 2010