Champagne campaign

 

Perhaps the weather helps, but canvassing was especially enjoyable in Newport and Monmouth today.

 

Instantly recognizable to everyone is Rhodri Morgan. His wife Julie is fighting a key seat that she lost by fewer than 200 votes last year. The result will depend on how former minority party supporters vote.

The two Newport candidates Rosemary Butler and John Griffiths are strongly fancied – especially with the wasting away of much LibDem support.

 

Interesting things are stirring in Monmouth. Labour candidate Mark Whitcutt had odds of 13-1 at the start on the campaign. Then they fell to 5-1 and now to 3-1. In bad times for Tories Labour has won the seat. This would be a wonderful victory. Both Monmouth and Newport have great teams pounding the streets.

There was no sign of any other parties campaigning in Newport or Monmouth in spite of the weather.

 

Bloody summer

One chilling piece of news that should wake up the Government is on the forgotten war in Afghanistan. The Taliban has announced the beginning of its spring military offensive against the US-led coalition, a day after a new Pentagon report claimed that the militants' fighting spirit was low after sustaining heavy losses on the battlefield.

In a two-page statement, the Taliban said that, starting tomorrow, it would launch attacks on military bases, convoys and Afghan officials, including members of the government's peace council, who are working to reconcile with top insurgent leaders.

Just a week ago the Government gave a complacent reply to my urgent question on the escape of 500 Taliban prisoners. There was certainly close collusion from inside the jail. The escape was six months in the planning and execution but no ‘intelligence’ warned NATO. That proves the lack of support we have from Afghanis.

It is likely to be another bloody summer. For what?

 

Positive sense

The ‘Yes’ campaign lists the following tweets from supporters.

“It's a moral and democratic scandal that a candidate can become an MP with the support of less than 50% of voters” – Thomas, Edinburgh

“It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take a step towards a more representative & accountable parliament” – Marina, Southampton

“It's a small first step in turning parliament from cosy, complacent club into the forum of the nation” – Nigel, Portsmouth

“For 40 years I’ve despaired at MPs winning with under half the vote. Democratic legitimacy ONLY comes with at least 50% support” – June, Walsham

“It sickens me that the No campaign still tells lies. I want people to know the facts – then go & vote for change!” – Alan, Watford

“No major party chooses their own leader by FPTP! If it’s too unfair for them, why lumber us with it?” – Derek, Scarborough

 

Comments

[Cynthia Turner]

The war in the middle east should be the concern of those in the United Nation. The countries involved have citizens who are very innocent and are out if this chaos!

[rwendland]

Re Afghanistan, interesting WashPost article about USAID projects that were supposed to follow-up military action to win-the-peace going sour. Seems the intra-USAID politics is more important to some than running projects in the field:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-military-dismayed-by-delays-in-3-key-development-projects-in-afghanistan/2011/04/22/AFD6jq8E_story.html

"U.S. military dismayed by delays in 3 key development projects in Afghanistan"