Good luck Thomas.

I would like to make a special recognition of the youngest candidate, Thomas Burridge.

He will not win tomorrow, but at 18 he is making an impressive start into politics and will learn for the next time.

His youth and energy, his straightforward message and his fresh optimism next to the cynical manipulations and dirty tricks of some parties is a joy to behold.

In contrast this blog has been dedicated to confronting and repudiating the messages of hatred and division from the BNP, and to a lesser extent, UKIP.

That has meant looking at brazen lies and misrepresentations, thuggery, threats of violence, obscenity, rage, base cruelty, and injustice towards fellow human beings.

It is hard to understand the malice some have for others, and the lengths that some go to to express that malice.

It is a relief to consider a different sort of candidate.

So let's give some blog-space to the Libertarians, or at least to the young man Burridge, as an antidote to all the ugliness:

Last day of campaigning - Norwich North
by IanPJ

Today is the last day that candidates can campaign for the votes of the constituents of Norwich North in Norfolk, and I know that Thomas is out and about working hard to convince voters of the Libertarian message.

Thomas Burridge, the Libertarian Party candidate had this to say about Thursday's ballot:

Tomorrow is the day. I have done my best over the past few weeks to convey the message of liberty to the people of Norwich North, however what I can do has now ended. The responsibility now passes to each and every voter in Norwich North, I urge you all to stand up and tell Labour, The Conservatives and the Lib Dems that we are sick of them taking and taking from the British people and never giving back. Enough is enough, tomorrow is your first chance to vote for the only party that will not take anything from you, be it your money or your liberties. Perhaps you believe that one of the big three has changed and can be trusted with your vote, to this I say simply if you vote the same, you’ll get the same. The big three have dominated politics for generations and have constantly and consistently taken hard won liberties from the British people, many times they have claimed to have shifted position but they always remain parties of big state interference in everyday lives.

Vote Libertarian for real change. Vote Libertarian for honesty and open government. Vote Libertarian for your rights and liberties. Vote Libertarian simply to send the big three a message.

If you vote the same, you’ll get the same.

I know just how hard that Thomas has worked on this campaign, it has been an uphill struggle with the media attention focused on the main parties and the outgoing 'saint' Ian Gibson, but we have focused on getting the message across to the voters by going to see them direct, knocking on doors and explaining Libertarian policies.

We have had a good deal of success, and picked up a goodly number of new members, but as a small party with limited resources it is impossible to compete with the huge machines and the volume of written material rolled out by the Conservative, Labour and LibDem campaign teams.

I wish to publicly thank Thomas for all his hard work, dedication, temerity and sheer guts in taking on these big parties, standing his ground and giving the voters an alternative choice at the ballot tomorrow.

As Thomas has already indicated, now its all up to the voters, who I trust will make rational informed decisions about who to cast their votes for. Finally, I will echo Thomas' important words.

If you continue to vote the same, You will continue to get the same.

IanPJ

Undecided in Norwich North

My sister is not the only one undecided until the last possible moment.

Here follows another fine article by Cath Elliott:

Since Ian Gibson's resignation as my constituency MP in early June this year, I've been taking a keen interest in the upcoming Norwich North byelection. It's not a byelection I ever wanted to see happen, and like a lot of the constituents I'm still angry at the way it has come about, but as it's happening I need to decide who to vote for. As someone who has adopted as one of their mantras "Women died to get you the vote!", refusing to vote, or boycotting the election in protest at Gibson's treatment simply isn't an option for me.

In the past I haven't had much of a problem deciding who to vote for, because despite my opposition to the Iraq war, and my concerns about the erosion of our civil liberties that's been taking place under the careful watch of New Labour, I've always known that Gibson was on my side. I've been able to tell myself when putting that all important cross next to the Labour candidate that it's not the odious Labour government I've been voting for, but a hard-working constituency MP who shares my political views on near enough every issue.

But now it's all change. Now, for the first time ever in an election, I'm a floating voter. Even as I write this, with ballot boxes due to open tomorrow, I still don't know for sure who I'm going to endorse. I have managed to whittle it down to a choice between two candidates: the Green party's Rupert Read, and Craig Murray, the former British ambassador to Uzbekistan who was removed from his post after complaining about human rights abuses there, and who's standing as an independent under the banner "Put an honest man in parliament". It feels like it's been a tortuously long process even getting this far, and I'm someone who takes an interest in politics. I wouldn't be surprised if this election sees one of the lowest turnouts ever, if my own experience of trying to let the candidates persuade me with the strength of their arguments is anything to go by.

In all there are 12 candidates standing in Norwich North, but the serious race is between just five of them. Like most people I ruled out some contenders right at the start, as I did with the more rightwing and extreme parties such as UKIP and the repugnant BNP. So that left me with a choice between the Conservative candidate Chloe Smith, the Green candidate Rupert Read, the Lib Dems' April Pond, Chris Ostrowski of Labour, and the allegedly honest man Craig Murray.

I already explained a few weeks ago why I wouldn't be voting Conservative and that was before Chloe Smith's occupation became a source of some controversy. But had I not already decided against the Tories, the overkill of their campaign would have been enough to put me off. I've never seen so many election leaflets from one political party in any election campaign, but all that's managed to do is convince me that the Tories have way too much money to spend. I'm not impressed with slick and expensive electioneering, to me it's the candidate and the policies that matter, and charming as she is Smith hasn't been impressive once the spinners and minders have been taken away and she's been left on her own to debate the issues alongside the other candidates.

It's the same with Chris Ostrowski, who didn't come across at all well in the live debate on BBC1 earlier this week. I understand now that some of that may have been down to him having swine flu, but with so much anger still in the air over Gibson's forced departure, and with the big guns like Gordon Brown staying well clear of Norwich, the Labour campaign is at best unconvincing and at worst half-hearted. It's almost as though they'd given up before they'd begun, which given Gibson's popularity among the local voters is perfectly understandable but not likely to get them anywhere near first place in this election.

April Pond has been impressive, but once again the Liberal Democrats have let themselves down by running a dirty tricks campaign. The election leaflet where they attempted to paint Rupert Read as some kind of terrorist sympathiser echoed some of the worst excesses of the tabloid press, and when Pond backtracked on her initial opposition to academy schools any chance of her getting my vote was well and truly lost.

Which brings me back to Rupert Read and Craig Murray, the two candidates who were the first to respond to the Twitter challenge I set them of laying out for me in 140 characters why I should vote for them, and the two candidates who, despite not having anything like the financial backing enjoyed by the Conservative candidate, have still found ways of getting their messages across to the local electorate. Read has been particularly impressive with his attempts to schmooze me over the last few days, which I realise is probably a cynical attempt on his part to get me to write nice things about him, and which as you can see has worked.

For an undecided voter, the build-up to tomorrow's byelection has been a fascinating experience. It's been great to see so many candidates embracing new media, extending their campaigns beyond leafleting and door knocking to Twitter, Facebook and the blogosphere. It's been interesting to observe the difference between a general election campaign, where someone such as Cameron would probably only make one appearance in the area, if that, and a byelection campaign, when the entire party machinery is set in motion for a single candidate.

But however I do eventually decide to vote one thing's for sure, having kept such a close eye on things over the past few weeks, whoever wins the seat had better stick to their election promises – because I will be holding them to account.

Cameron canvassing Thorpe St Andrew this evening

My neice Sarah has just called from Thorpe St Andrew in Norwich North to report that opposition leader David Cameron is walking down their road heading towards my sister's house, also in Norwich North.

I called my sister Teresa, and she said it was true, and it was ineresting because they had not seen any conservatives canvassing on her street in Thorpe St Andrew, although all other parties had been in the area. She was quite impressed at this campaigning so late in the evening - it's the cool fall of day.

I asked my sister, who has a career in the National Health Services, what question she would ask Cameron if he knocked upon her door, and she replied without hesitation:

"I'd tell him to sort out the management of our health services. The system is not working and has deteriorated. It urgently needs an overhaul, and the present lot have failed in this."

She told me she and her husband would be voting tomorrow, still uncommitted (or not telling me), but definitely voting for change, away from traditional parties.

This has been a high-powered campaign, unusually so for a by-election, indicating the importance of the choice to be made tomorrow.

There are seventy-five thousand eligble voters in Norwich North, and 34 polling stations will be opening at 7 am tomorrow.

Votes will be counted overnight and announced on Friday.

It is fair to say that the electorate of Norwich North will be in the limelight for some time to come, as the votes are cast and counted, and the results debated in the weeks ahead.

BNP's 'private army' of goons

On Saturday 11th July one of the HOPE not hate, Norfolk team was set upon by Steve Ames, a BNP member with a record, who was part of the welcoming committee of the BNP's candidate for Norwich North, the discredited Robert West.

This is not an isolated incident. It seems to be the typical way that the BNP seeks any "conflict resolution".

When is this behaviour going to be kicked out of civil society?

Here is a report from the ITN:

BNP supporters beat up a man after he spilled beer over party leader Nick Griffin, an MP has claimed.

Labour's David Drew (Stroud) alleged the "totally upstanding" young man was given "one hell of a hiding" after the incident last week in Painswick, Gloucestershire.

During a Commons debate, Mr Drew told MPs Mr Griffin, who was elected as a Member of the European Parliament last month, had visited his constituency last week.

Mr Drew said: "I don't know why he was wined and dined in my constituency in Painswick but he was. It just so happens that one of my constituents took offence at this and happened to spill some beer over Mr Griffin.

"I happen to know the young man, and he is totally upstanding - he's an outstanding individual. He is the sort of person I've been proud to be associated with.

"As a result of this he was taken outside and given one hell of a hiding."

Mr Drew added: "I am not prepared to accept that any politician has a private army. I am not prepared to have the BNP anywhere near my constituency. In previous times we have chased these individuals around.

"But I hope that we will take action and will look at the actions of the BNP. I don't know whether a court case is proceeding because I think the young man is too shocked, but that's just indicative of what the BNP is like."

The BNP’s lies in Norwich North

From Liberal Conspiracy by Cath Elliott :

Much to my joy I received my first Norwich North by-election leaflets from the BNP yesterday. The first one was pretty much as I expected:

I think its the same layout as the one they used for the Euro elections a couple of months ago: it’s got the Battle of Britain spitfire picture which caused some hilarity last time round when it was revealed to be a Polish (in BNP speak: dirty-foreigner-Eastern-Europeans-coming-over-here-and-taking-all-our-jobs) squadron plane, and it’s got four numpties, I mean ordinary British working people, trying to make excuses for their decision to embrace fascism.

“I’m voting BNP because I’m sick of immigration. Asylum seekers come here and get everything handed to them on a plate whilst hard working local people struggle with a recession and rising unemployment” spouts a woman who has obviously never had the misfortune of trying to negotiate her way through our barbaric asylum system, while an old soldier who claims to have fought against the Nazis in WWII fails to be struck by the irony of his appearance in a British Nazi Party propaganda sheet.

But it was the second leaflet that really caught my eye:

More specifically, it was that little yellow box at the top right-hand side that made me sit bolt upright and yell “You lying fascist scum!” at the top of my lungs.

Here it is again, this time in close-up:

Okay. For the record, I had some peripheral involvement with the Gateway Protection Programme that the BNP is trying to discredit here. For a couple of years I represented Norfolk Library and Information Service on the multi-agency Norwich Asylum Seeker and Refugee Forum (NASREF), and I was a member of it when the decision was taken to sign Norwich up to the Gateway Programme: I also had the pleasure of meeting the first tranche of refugees and showing them around the City library as part of their initial orientation programme. In other words, I know a bit about this issue, unlike whichever BNP hatemonger came up with the mendacious piece of crap above.

And I can quite categorically state that no local people lost out on housing to the Congolese refugees who settled here in December 2006/January 2007 and in January 2008, because in order to prevent exactly the kind of resentment that the BNP leaflet is trying to stir up, a decision was taken right at the very start of the process to house the families through private accommodation rather than through the City Council’s housing stock.

Furthermore, the Gateway Protection Programme was funded in its entirety by the Home Office, so no local resources were spent on housing and supporting the refugees either on their arrival, or during their first year here. The expectation was that after that first year the refugees would be fully integrated into their local schools and communities, and that the adults would be in employment and thus able to provide for themselves. Support was also provided by the Red Cross and by the Refugee Council.

Contrary to the assertion in the BNP’s first paragraph that housing priority was given to “African Asylum seekers” the refugees were housed through private sector leased homes. As one of the initial proposals read:

“The emphasis on private sector homes is due to the fact that Norwich is a very high demand area for social housing and we want to avoid any perception of new arrivals taking resources away from people who are in need in the local area.”

So to reiterate, no council-allocated accommodation went to the Gateway refugees, and no local people were pushed to the back of any housing queue as a result of either Norwich City Council or Broadland Council signing up to the Gateway Protection Programme.

As for the constant references to the Gateway Programme refugees being asylum seekers, we’re talking here about people who had fled the fighting in the Congo, who were living in refugee camps in Zaire (and in some cases who had been in those camps for as long as 10 years), and who had been accepted as refugees by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) while they were still in the camps: in other words prior to their arrival in Britain. They did not come here seeking asylum, because they’d already been granted it: it had already been acknowledged that they were unable to return to their own country of origin or settle in the country where they living at the time their refugee status was approved.

As one of the refugees has said: “We have witnessed many heinous atrocities. Because of this most of us left our homes and took refuge in Zambia and other neighbouring countries. We were in refugee camps for about 9 years and we made camps ourselves by changing a forest into a village by the help of UNHCR.

Thankfully to the UNHCR and the UK government we were selected and given the opportunity to come over here. We are welcomed by the UK government and the people of Norwich. We are grateful for the hospitality we have been receiving. We are grateful for all the agencies that have been helping us to resettle in this community. Thank you very much for everything you did for us. We are now in a safe haven because of everyone’s contribution.”

And he’s right. The Congolese refugees who settled here through the Gateway Protection Programme are now in a safe haven and have been welcomed with open arms by the people of Norwich. As always, the BNP is simply intent on stirring up hate and resentment where none exists.

Thankfully I’m fairly sure that this Thursday, July 23rd, when the constituents of Norwich North go to the polls the BNP will get the message loud and clear, just as they did in the Euro elections: if anyone’s not welcome here it’s them. Because if local people are sick of anyone, it’s of those who want to come into our communities and spread hate; it’s of those who have nothing to offer but cynicism and lies.

About the author: Cath Elliott is a regular contributor to Liberal Conspiracy. She is a feminist and a trade union activist. She works as a freelance writer, a TUC tutor, and part-time in local government. Cath is a committed pro-choice campaigner. Her main areas of interest are women’s issues; trade unionism; equalities and human rights.

Also at: Comment is free · other posts by Cath Elliott

Vandals

According to a report reaching us, some stupid grafitti has been spotted in Norwich apparently signed 'HOPE not hate'.

Hope not hate, Norfolk unconditionally condemns such silly vandalism, and has nothing to do with it.

Most of us are too busy following last-minute preparations and speculations about the by-election to think of anything else at this nail-biting stage.

Whilst periodically checking ourselves for signs of swine fever after all the canvassing we've been doing.

It beats me why some individuals think writing rude grafitti on walls is adding anything to the mix other than minor annoyance and disdain.

Meanwhile I notice the pundits are out in force predicting results with baseless confidence.

It's really all up to the electorate now.

The less-publicised parties

NORWICH NORTH BY-ELECTION TOMORROW

Independent candidates for the North Norwich by-election Craig Murray and Bill Holden are complaining in their blogs that institutional exposure, for example in hustings and on the BBC, unfairly favour the 'main' parties. But some candidates have been far less exposed than they have been.

I am guilty of not writing more about the smaller parties before, but earlier trawls of the net for more details did not catch much information.

This by-election was expected for the auturmn, and so it has taken time for all candidates to produce informative websites.

So here follows some information about the less-well-known candidates taken from their sites. Please visit their websites for more:

The Libertarians have come to town in the form of 18-year-old Thomas Burridge.

He vows to make Chloe Smith and her brand of career Conservatism "history."

He might not do it this time round. But the likes of Chloe Smith, who represent the "old guard" of professional politicians, will go the way of the dinosaurs one day (arguably in less than a decade).

Why? Because no substance, image-only politicians like Chloe Smith (and her puppet master David Cameron) are NOT relevant to Britain’s society today. They are not interested in life experience. All they are after is a career in politics.

In other words, they have their sights on YOUR (tax) money. Yes, they might do a token job of cleaning up MPs expenses. But make no mistake, professional politicians like Chloe Smith and David Cameron will find a way of getting their "squeaky clean" mits on your tax dollars (I’d should have said pounds, but it never sounds as good).

Why are the Libertarians any different?Because Libertarians do not believe in career politics. Nor do they believe in big, bloated government – local or national. They believe in low taxes and freedom of the individual to live his or her life as they choose, so long as it does not harm others in any way.

What’s more, Libertarians encourage self-reliance and entrepreneurship. Unlike the Tories and Labour, they don’t maintain a welfare system that makes if more lucrative for a million or more people to languish on incapacity benefits, rather than gain the self-respect of earning money through a job or by being self-employed.

But wait, the Norwich North Libertarian candidate is only 18…You could argue that a kid of 18 hasn’t got any life experience. And you’d have a fair point. But if you bear in mind that 1 million 18-24 year olds in Britain have no training and no jobs, you could argue that Thomas Burridge is a valid spokesperson for his generation – unlike the Tory Cloe Smith who, as I’ve said, is merely looking to feather her nest as a professional politician.

Ian Parker-Joseph, leader of the Libertarian Party UK, puts it this way:

"One of the things that has been made clear, especially by the younger members of our party, is that the so called ’experts’, the ’professional politicians’ and the older generations have seriously let them down, left them with debts that they will probably never be able to repay and they are mightily hacked off about it.

"They now want their say, in the places that matter, in those places where the decisions are made, and Thomas is one such young man, who having now completed his exams in political studies is ready to stand up and be counted.

"It comes down to the old adage, If you keep voting the same, you will continue to get the same. So it is time for new, fresh faces with fresh ideas to come forward to keep these older politicians on their toes, to start putting forward policies that put the people first, that honestly take care of our rights, liberties and freedoms that the older generations of politicians have eroded, and are continuing to undermine and erode.

"Lastly, all I can say is: Don’t vote for career politicians like Chloe Smith, they’ll only rip you off for yet more taxes (the Tories aren’t really the party of low taxes, any more than Labour is).

Instead, vote Libertarian. Vote for individual freedom. Be all that you can be.

http://lpuk.blogspot.com/ Burridge was interviewed on Future radio. The audio is available on the Future Radio website.

None of the Above (NOTA)

NOTA exists solely to advocate, promote and facilitate the POSITIVE abstention facility on ballot papers - giving power back to the electorate.

At the moment - many of the electorate see the present political system as being a choice between - beng run over by a bus or being run over by a train!

NOTA is doing the job of the Electoral Commission whose Chair person recently said: "I think too many of us forget who, exactly, the elections are there to benefit. We forget that these are NOT aimed at helping governments or parties or individual candidates. They are for Voters, to give them a Voice. To help them effect change they want to see. So we need to start putting Voters first. So, how are we going to do it? How are we going to put Voters back at the heart of the System? - The answer is quite clear - VOTE NOTA.

"From the small number of people we've spoken to, with our limited resources, the feedback is positive and the indications are that with NOTA (None of the Above) as an option on the ballot paper then the non Voter would be converted to a Voter!"

Anne Fryatt is representing the None of The Above Party http://www.nota.org.uk/

Official Monster Raving Loony Party

Alan "Howling Laud" Hope

Norwich bye-elecshun Manifesto

PRESS RELEASE, THE OFFICIAL MONSTER RAVING LOONY PARTY MANICFESTO FOR NORWICH NORTH.

EDUKASHUN - We propose a return to basics, to the three 'R's.Reeding,Riting, and rock 'n' roll. Teech the kidz to reed and rite proper like their momz and dadz.

We pledge to reduce class sizes by making the pupils sit closer together and issuing them with smaller desks.

ENVIRONMENT - To avoid flooding in Norwich from the River Wensum, all houses will have foundations made of sponge, in order to soak up any surplus water.

We will clean up the River Wensum by introducing crocodiles into the river. You may laugh, but whenever you see a wildlife programme on t.v. are'nt the crocodile swamps always clean? A pirate ship will be moored at all times on the banks of the River Wensum. Any local politicians found to be lying to the electorate will be forced to walk the plank.

DON'T BE A DOPE , VOTE FOR HOPE

FORGET ALL THE HYPE AND FLIPPIN' FUSS,

NOW IS THE TIME TO VOTE FOR US !!!

"If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving isn't for you " R.U.Seerius http://www.omrlp.com/

Independent - Peter Baggs

Hi, my name's Peter Baggs, married these last 23 years, 59 years of age and until now quite happy in my role of plastering contractor.

Recently, I have become annoyed by the politicians who instead of ruling for us seem intent on ruling over us and our wishes. It seemed the only way of changing this was a bloody revolution, but we are British and that would not do.

Then it occurred to me that it will be possible to have a revolution in a peaceful way, assuming that we are fed up with the way things are, if we are willing to make the effort to use the constitution to change it. So I have set up this website as the first step on the way for us to rule our own country using the technology we have developed over the last decade or two.The main way our MPs get to be MPs is by joining a political party and making their way up through the ranks of fellow politicos until they are picked as a prospective candidate. By and large they are then expected to follow the party line, which as we all know isn't necessarily a good thing.Labour wants us to vote them back in so they can carry on with their plan (after all this time I still don't know what that is) and the Conservatives say "Remember, a vote for the Conservatives is the only way to change our Government." Well actually it's not, a better way would be for us to choose real representatives who would respect and obey the majorities’ wishes and run this country for us accordingly.

YOUR VIEWS COUNT, MAKE YOURS HEARD http://www.ivote4u.co.uk/profile.cfm

Your choice -

NORWICH NORTH BY-ELECTION TOMORROW

The ballot sheet.

As the choices are listed alphabetically by the name of the candidate, 'None of the Above' is the third listed, but voters will know what is meant.

First Norwich Pride

1 DAY TO NORWICH NORTH BY-ELECTION

3 DAYS TO NORWICH PRIDE

The first Norwich Pride will be on Saturday 25th July 2009. Help us to cover the city in rainbow flags - the international symbol of Pride.

The main celebrations are based around the Forum in the centre of Norwich. There will be stalls, films and lectures inside the Forum throughout the day.

Between 12-2pm there is a Pride Picnic at Chapelfield Gardens. Bring your own food (no alcohol) and enjoy acoustic music on the bandstand, African drumming and Egyptian Dancing workshops, storytelling, facepainting and parachute games.

At 2pm, the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Cllr Evelyn Collishaw, will launch the Pride Parade. It will be led by Norwich Samba band and will weave it's way down Theatre St, Gentleman's Walk, past the Market and City Hall and into Millennium Plain.

At 3pm, we'll have speeches and entertainment on Millennium Plain outside the Forum.
There are Pride Parties in venues across the city throughout the evening and weekend - see our Events Page for more details.

Norwich Pride is organised by a Collective of friendly and enthusiastic volunteers from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) community. Please get in contact if you can help us in any way or offer us feedback.

The central celebrations are free and inclusive - everyone is invited. Nick O'Brien, the Chair of the Norwich Pride Collective says:

"One of the key aims of Norwich Pride is to ensure that Norwich is a city where everyone feels safe and proud to be themselves. Come and join us - it's going to be a wonderful weekend."

Email us at: norwichpride@hotmail.co.uk
We're also on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube

Norwich Pride: Saturday 25th July 2009

Swine flu fells candidate in Norwich North by-election

How many contacts has poor Chris had in the last week or so?

Labour candidate collapses with suspected swine flu
21/07/2009 12:17:00
Chris Ostrowski, Labour's candidate in the Norwich North by-election, is in hospital with suspected swine flu, it has emerged. Mr Ostrowski, who appeared last night in a BBC TV debate with three opponents, was admitted to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital this morning .

A planned visit to the city by Lord Mandelson, first secretary of state and secretary for business, skills and innovation, has been postponed.

EDP24

UPDATE:

The Labour party spokesman said: "We can confirm that Chris Ostrowski is being treated for a suspected case of swine flu."

"He collapsed at home and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Clearly, our priority is to ensure that nobody falls ill from swine flu unnecessarily and we will follow the medical advice and take every precaution necessary." . . .

On hearing of her rival's illness, Ms Smith said: "I'm extremely sorry to hear that Chris has been taken ill this morning.

"One of my campaign team had a suspected case of swine flu two weeks ago so I know just how horrible it can be.

"I'd like to send Chris my best wishes and I hope he will make a speedy recovery."

A spokesman for the Electoral Commission said that the by-election would not be postponed.

"Once the notice has been served and the date has been set, it can't be changed," she said.

"There is no requirement for the candidate to actually be at the count."

She said that the only grounds for the abandonment of an election would be the death of a candidate before the declaration of the result.

Telegraph

Election hopefuls in television debate

COUNTDOWN TO NORWICH NORTH BY-ELECTION - 2 DAYS

Wind turbines, the dualling of the A11, the eco-town at Rackheath and cuts to public spending were among the topics which candidates hoping to become Norwich's next MP were quizzed over during a televised hustings.

With Norwich North set to go to the polls next Thursday to vote on who should follow Ian Gibson as their MP, candidates for the four main parties were thrust under the television spotlight.

Chris Ostrowski (Labour), April Pond (Liberal Democrats), Rupert Read (Green Party) and Chloe Smith (Conservatives) appeared before a specially invited audience at BBC East's debate, chaired by Look East presenter Stuart White.

When asked what they would do the same as Dr Gibson, who resigned after he was caught up in the MP expenses scandal, and what they would do differently former University of East Anglia student Mr Ostrowski said he had been inspired by the Labour veteran campaigning against tuition fees.

He said he would publish “every receipt and item of expenses” on his website and added: “I do not think Ian Gibson was interested in money at all, but was undone by the circumstances.”

Miss Smith said she would like to follow in Dr Gibson's footsteps of being a strong local person, Mrs Pond said she would follow his example of problem-solving for his constituents and Mr Read, who said Labour had forced the ex-MP out for being a rebel, said he would, like Dr Gibson, stand up for the people of Norwich and speak his mind.

In response to a question about whether their party would back the dualling of the A11, Mr Read was alone in stating his party would not campaign for that.

He said: “Dualling the A11 is a very popular policy, but just because something is popular does not mean it is right. We have looked long and hard and the case for dualling the A11 does not add up.”

On eco-towns, with one earmarked for Rackheath, Miss Smith said the current batch seemed to have been “imposed” by London and said she did not think they were the way forward. Mrs Pond agreed, questioning the lack of transport links to Norwich.

Wind turbines versus nuclear power was another topic the panel was quizzed over. Mr Ostrowski said he had been staunchly anti-nuclear power, but realised now that it was needed, along with alternative forms of power such as wind and solar energy.

Miss Smith agreed that a mixture of energy formats was needed and said: “David Cameron is right. Nuclear comes into the mix.”

Mr Read said energy companies were relying on the government to deal with the waste from nuclear power and said he favoured other forms, while Mrs Pond said sites needed to be identified for wind farms where they would not cause controversy.

When challenged on whether they would cut public spending, Mr Ostrowski said: “There may have to be tough decisions” while Miss Smith said her party would make cuts. She said: “We simply do not have the money in the coffers thanks to the past 12 years.”

Mr Read said that would mean a return to Thatcherism and huge cuts to schools and hospitals, while Mrs Pond said scrapping the ID card scheme and Trident would free up cash.”

The four candidates were among a dozen candidates standing in the Norwich North by-election and people will go to the polls on Thursday.

DAN GRIMMER
Norwich News 24

Stuffed in Stockingford

From Atreus of Norfolk Unity

I've always had a soft spot for Stockingford, which is part of Nuneaton. You see I was born there, in one of the terraced back streets, where, at the time, everybody kept chickens and rabbits for the table and every inch of the garden was used for growing vegetables. I only lived there as a tot, and when Dad came out of the Army we left for Mum's native north Warwickshire village. The house in ------ Street was my Aunt Flo's and one of my cousins still lives there.

Despite having a soft spot for the place I never thought the day would come when I'd be singing ordinary old Stockingford's praises, but last Thursday the place did me (and you) proud.

In a barely noticed local by-election Stockingford told the BNP where to get off.

Now my fellow contributor to this blog, currently swanning around the Alps, keeps tabs on local by-elections and was always noticing that it was very rare for the BNP to improve its vote. If they'd stood in a ward for a first time then they'd usually lose ground on the second.

In Stockingford on Thursday they lost ground all right. Two thirds of it!In June the BNP fought the Arbury and Stockingford division of Warwickshire County Council, and with 1283 votes they took 25% of the vote. For reasons too boring to go into here, a by-election was called in the same division for July 16th, and with a solid looking base to build on, 2 MEPs and tons of news coverage the BNP entered the contest brim full of confidence.

But with the MPs expenses scandal now in the background sanity returned, and with antifascists able to concentrate their efforts the BNP share of the vote fell by 11%, one of the biggest reverses the party has ever suffered. But that hides the fact that the BNP's Martin Findlay (already a Nuneaton Borough councillor) saw his vote crash to just 449 - a drop of two thirds.

June
Con 1637/1582
Lab 1480/1472
BNP 1283
Green 849/692

July 16th
Lab 1331 +13%
Con 1079 +2.5%
BNP 449 -11%
Green 170 -9.5%
LD 118
SA 43

Ignoring the figures (he didn't publish them) Martin Wingfield, proponent of the BNP's "quiet revolution" only mentioned that the BNP had beaten the Liberal Democrats.

In fairness, the Green Party vote also dived in Arbury and Stockingford, which shows exactly how many people wanted to punish the major parties and reluctantly rewarded the minor parties last month.

In June the BNP hardly improved its share of the vote over most of the country despite the expenses scandal, and this result confirms what most of us were thinking - that if there had been no expenses scandal the BNP's vote would have stalled and most likely fallen, it wouldn't have scraped two MEPs, and an internal revolution would be underway, probably with Nick Griffin out on his ear some time soon.

Closer to home for us here in Norfolk the Norwich North by-election is underway, and the BNP hobbled itself from the start by gifting us the bogus "reverend" Robert West, who's just so easy to lampoon and discredit. As in Stockingford electoral politics seem to have returned to normal, with the latest polls showing the BNP not registering at all, with those intending to vote for the devious devil dodger included somewhere among the 5% reserved for "others".

Has the tide turned?

Well I reckon it never really came in for the BNP. The truth is that in June with voter disillusion at fever pitch they hardly managed to grow their vote at all and only got their MEPs due to voters not turning out for the main parties, so their supposed victorious advance is more apparent than real, something they bang on about to keep their own members from seeing the political reality of their electoral situation.

The BNP got stuffed in Stockingford, let's hope they get nuked in Norwich North.

by Atreus
Norfolk Unity