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"Labour, in contrast, spent more than ten times that sum - £66,388.78"

That's an awful lot of money for a seat (so safe), that it would have returned a pork pie if it were Labour's candidate.

Was Ed under pressure to do well here?

Hey JohnB - hows it goin big man!

I'll take your stat and raise you 2:

1. Tory spending any money when an asteroid hit couldnt have helped them to win this one.

2. Labour's bang for their buck better than all the other non racist parties, especially when scandal had done for the last guy.

Check out the opinion polls (L44, T35, LD10) - suspect pressure is at bursting point for Clegg and from recent red-faced performances at PMQs it certainly seems to be getting to Cameron. Ed is probably feeling quite serene for now.

Tell you what though - it'll be interesting to see spending on the Scottish elections where there is going to be a veritable dog fight between labour and SNP.

Why spend on a by-election you know you are going to lose?

Michael, have you no concept of the principle of spending to get a return for your money?

It is odd that Labour spent so much as they had a very good candidate. Sensitivity as to the cause of the vacancy, perhaps?

1 John_Bull

No self-respecting pork-pie would ever be a Labour candidate. A fruit pie, perhaps?

"The meagre Lib Dem spending in Barnsley contrasts with the previous by-election in Oldham East and Saddleworth where they came second after spending more than £93,000, not far off the legal limit."

Eh, I think if you add in the Tory spending then that would take the effective LibDem spending in that by-election well over the legal limit. Although to be fair David Cameron said he delivered those leaflets for free (Vote Tory if you really must, but I'd much rather you VOTE LIBDEM, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE)

Yo Ginger!


Don't think I’ll call the bet just yet.

However, It will be interesting to see those numbers when we have calm waters again. Also, the Tories don't seem to have lost any ‘real’ support (interesting), it's just Lib-Dems turning Red – they’ll come back. And, It’s impossible for Cameron to look good right now, (just as well I suppose) but the two Ed's - really? Surely (when the time comes) 44% of the electorate aren’t actually going to vote for them Ginge, surely?? They were the masterminds behind Labour’s economic miracle weren’t they? Now they admit to only possessing a blank sheet of paper. (That’s probably best – less damaging)


BTW. These Crick blogs are pretty good. We should convene here during the (increasing) ‘voids’ on Robinson’s blog?

JB

LibDems are a busted flush till Clegg goes. Its actually ironic that he's now trying to court sympathy for himself (btw I do feel sympathy for his family) by saying the press and public reaction is OTT. This is the man (along with Cable) that almost worse than Cameron pre-2010 election made it deeply personal about Brown. I think that Labour were always going to lose the election post 2005 (vote share 42% down to 35%) and with the 2008 economic crash, it was a slam dunk. However the personal stuff really did for Brown, main benefactor, not Cameron and Tories, it was Clegg and LibDems.

I'm not so sure about the right of centre confidence that the 2 Eds will turn off voters. I reckon if that was the case it would have happened by now. I agree 44% doesn't look sustainable or realistic, but a new govt pedalling furiously just to stand still (while making a few pretty clumsy mistakes, eg NHS) is struggling badly unless these growth stats buck the Osborne effect.

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TheGingerF @7

"I'm not so sure about the right of centre confidence that the 2 Eds will turn off voters. I reckon if that was the case it would have happened by now."

Well, I’m not so sure myself Ginger! But, the electorate do tend to be fickle. Right now, the Ed's have it easy...they just need to keep repeating the sound bites...'too deep too fast'...'it's hurting but it isn't working, etc...and the electorate will run with it. But, sooner or later, the economy 'will' recover, even if, 'too deep too fast' did apply. And, what will the 2 Ed's look like then? - The Muppets who got us into the mess, and were then wrong about how to get us out of it, as well??

Would the Ed's deserve to be elected under those circumstances?

TheGingerF @7

"LibDems are a busted flush till Clegg goes�

Ginger, I feel (a bit) sorry for Clegg. The question, ‘what was he supposed to do?’ keeps cropping up. He was never going to win the election, so holding the balance of power was the best he could ever hope for. And surely, the people who voted for him knew that also. Now, I know that Lib-Dem supporters were a bit miffed when he formed the coalition with the Tories, but surely he had no choice?? And, if those (now disaffected) voters really wanted ‘leftie’ policies, why didn’t they just vote Labour? And, that’s where the irony begins…because the issue that he really gets beaten up on, ‘Tuition fees’…Labour would have (in one way or another) increased them too…it was their own commissioned report that was implemented.

If I were Clegg, I would forget the Lib-Dems, and this PR nonsense, and join the Conservative party.

Hi John (@10)

Your last sentence, although perhaps closer to a political truth, would surely be far too massive a betrayal on the LibDems but more importantly the voters. People voted for the LibDems (not me last year cos I distrusted Clegg!!) because they saw them as potential for change. For Clegg to simply disregard this would be the final straw.

LibDems had 2 choices post election - carry on as opposition, Tories in a minority admin, or to form coalition with Tories (labour option was completely unviable and rightly so given the election result). The coalition they formed in the end bore no relation to the respective 36% v 22% of voting share and that is why they are suffering so badly now. People no longer see the point in voting for them (even the most ardent LibDem must have known that coalition was the best outcome they can ever hope for).

On the 2 Eds - they are adopting standard and on occasion clever opposition tactics and already look a bit better than Cameron/Osborne at it (far fewer rubbishy stunts). I think the blank paper has to fill up by this time next year and then we'll see. I reckon the opinion polls will look fairly similar, although potentially worse if cuts provide the pain but no sign of future gain....

Enjoy your weekend.

Hello Ginger

I'm not surprised that you were distrustful of Clegg. I actually found his rise in popularity during the debates quite surreal. It seemed that just being good on TV, and waiving your arms about in tune to, ‘it doesn’t have to be the left team or right team…we're different’, suddenly gained him 8 points in the polls. People (usually politically inert) were suddenly talking about how good Nick was; but when questioned, (at least the ones I questioned) couldn’t actually tell you, which of his policies they agreed with?? It probably says a lot about the average voter?

On the Ed's, I agree with you. They are playing their hand well. But, I still feel my point about ‘post recovery’ is in play here. It's difficult to see a position for them in this scenario. Almost as if their hand (currently a strong one) suddenly becomes irrelevant, if not a liability?

I know how Clegg can earn instant respect and total forgiveness....ditch the coalition, renage on the tuition increase, repeal the NHS debacle and bring down Cameron, result instant karma and total forgiveness and his name will remembered for a hundred years as the man who did repent and helped generations.....do we think it will happen...nah, neither do I, he prefers ridicule and ignomony and lasting hatred....

LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION (#13)

Spot on Stevie. Had Nick chosen to admit weakness, rather than plead for gentleness, he could have been 'HUNDRED YEAR CLEGG'. If only he had a Wisdom Wife.

Why feel sorry for Clegg? He's personally immensely wealthy, and politically he got what he wanted. He isn't going to find himself destitute or have his home repossessed. That will happen to others as a result of his selling his soul in return for power. The LDs did not have to sign up the the kind of deal that most of their supporters, and the country, voted against.

The trouble is, since Tony Blair, politicians have wanted to be loved as well as having everything else, and they seem to think they are having a hard time if it doesn't happen. My considered reaction is ... D1DDUMS!

@14,15 I would only forgive Clegg if, having admitted his mistakes, he retired from public life and devoted himself to good works. He should follow the example of Jack Profumo:

"Shortly after his resignation Profumo began to work as a volunteer cleaning toilets at Toynbee Hall, a charity based in the East End of London..."



In my view Profumo's sins were peccadillos compared with Clegg's.

TORN (#15&16)

My ape wants to humiliate Clegg and destroy him - my fancy cerebral trimmings are trying to admit I have done the same, at a much lower level of consequence, in the past.

WE GOT OURSELVES ANOTHER ONE. People like Clegg and me (and the whole of the Commons) should not be allowed near power. We need to dismantle Westminster and build 'smart governance' (good management).

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