Bradford West by-election - 29th March

[Andrea]

Some election material

Labour
Hussain's pledges are "solemn". They include being proud of Bradford, open a constituency office, fight the police cuts, save the NHS, fight the unfair Tory cuts and attract investements. Hussain is "from Bradford West for Bradford West". He played in the local streets, went to the local school. Pictures of him as a child and his family are attached. The handwriting letters in Labour's leaflets is always written by the same person all over the country.
http://www.electionleaflets.org/leaflets/7037/


Lib Dem
They didn't find any figures to put in a barchart: they simply state that the Conservatives can't win here but the LibDems won in Bradford East
Their strong, outspoken, independent local choice's priorities are: fairer taxes for hard working Bradford families; real action to sort out the city centre; more apprenticeships and jobs in Bradford. Ed Balls features in the leaflet under the Labour being dishonest paragraph.
http://www.electionleaflets.org/leaflets/7034/

The Tories are fighting to save people's postal votes and fighting Labour's something for nothing culture and criminals
http://twitpic.com/8xfspd
http://twitpic.com/8wplzl
http://twitpic.com/8xfwwj

[Filuwaúrdjan]

This by-election has not been especially high profile.

[YL]

This by-election has not been especially high profile.

Not many of the ones in this parliament have been, to be honest.  They've all been fairly predictable; the seat's recent history suggested there was a chance this one might not have been, but it doesn't seem to have worked out that way.  (Egg on my face if George Galloway triumphs next Thursday )

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It has been a bit of a guided tour around Labour Britain, yeah.

[Leftbehind]

Great description.

Wonder if we'll get a Survation poll?

[You kip if you want to...]

Manchester Central'll be up next. Liberal Democrat gain, yeah?

[joevsimp]

Manchester Central'll be up next. Liberal Democrat gain, yeah?

I'd like to see them make a bar chart out of this result last year

[MaxQue]

Someone would care to explain why there is so much jokes about bar charts and LibDems?

[Leftbehind]

The Lib Dem literature ie election leaflets are notorious for using distorted bar charts that aim to make the election look a two-horse race. Like so:

[You kip if you want to...]

(This one's a joke).

[YL]

According to someone on Twitter Ladbrokes have cut the odds for Galloway winning to 10-1.  It would be amusing (though still I suspect unlikely) if he beat the Tories.

[You kip if you want to...]

According to someone on Twitter Ladbrokes have cut the odds for Galloway winning to 10-1.  It would be amusing (though still I suspect unlikely) if he beat the Tories.

Any particular reason? This campaign seems dull as anything. Wouldn't be shocked if he finished a solid second though.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Gamblers are not always the most rational of people.

[Leftbehind]

I'd be very surprised if Galloway made anywhere near that sort of dent.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

There's a truly terrible Grauniad article bigging him up for some reason (linky). It's one of those special pieces (often seen for by-elections) that you can play a game of spotting ghastly errors with. The ability of British journalists to write about places in Northern England as if they were thousands of miles away is really quite a remarkable thing.

I note that it is by Helen Pidd. I hate Helen Pidd for some reason that I can't quite remember.

[You kip if you want to...]

Galloway down to 7/1. Surely he won't win, but he'll almost definately push the Liberals into 4th (or 5th, depending on UKIP's showing).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If he actually has some genuine local backing then, yes, he probably will. But this could just as easily be one of those hype things.

[Leftbehind]

Was getting used to having a Survation poll commissioned.

[Andrea]

There's a truly terrible Grauniad article bigging him up for some reason (linky). It's one of those special pieces (often seen for by-elections) that you can play a game of spotting ghastly errors with. The ability of British journalists to write about places in Northern England as if they were thousands of miles away is really quite a remarkable thing.

She has now realized there has been a Con-LD coalition in the 00s
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/mar/29/bradford-west-byelection-george-galloway?CMP=twt_gu

Galloway's letter for Bradford Muslim voters
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/50087/george_the_muslim%3F.html


GG's fanboys are getting excited on twitter. At what time will they start complaining about postal votes? Salma Yaqoob is already finding bisturbing that there're 10,000 postal voters in Bradford West (figure in line with the 2010 GE postal applications in this constituency)
The man himself is just being as modest as usual: "Sun shining, masses on the move. It's the Bradford Spring! Vote George Galloway today"

[YL]

Galloway's letter for Bradford Muslim voters
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/50087/george_the_muslim%3F.html

That's bizarre.  I still hope he beats the Tories though...

William Hill apparently have Galloway at 3-1 to win.  I'd presume this isn't because they know something the rest of us don't, just that he's been hyped up and people have started betting on him.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I posted a comment on the Gruaniad politics liveblog reminding people of a certain article written last Summer by a certain journalist. It was deleted pretty promptly.

Edit: my latest attempt to make the same point:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Let's see if anyone notices.

[Serenity Now]

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2012/03/29/dont-vote-or-support-george-galloway-today/

I have to say I agree with this.

[Phony Moderate]

Polls are now closed.

[Insula Dei]

Anything less than a second place for George Galloway will be taken as an almost personal insult. Let the good people of Bradford West be warned!

[Phony Moderate]

Postal votes are rumoured to be "50/50".