Lib Dems reckon they’re odds-on to win in Brecon and Radnorshire – because of their lies?
“Want change?” thunders the latest glossy brochure from Liberal Democrat by-election candidate Jane Dodds. It fails to add the fact of the matter: “You won’t get it with me!”
Instead it quotes betting odds, apparently from Ladbrokes on July 12, stating that Ms Dodds is the 1/7 favourite to win the seat, with Tory expenses faker Chris Davies at 7/1, Des Parkinson for the Brexit Party at 12/1 and Tom Davies for Welsh Labour at 100/1.
I can’t find any predictions for the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election on the Ladbrokes website so there is no way to confirm these figures.
The derisory treatment of Labour suggests that this is the party Ms Dodds really fears. Why else would her canvassers be trying to convince voters in Labour strongholds like Cwmtwrch and Penycae that Labour isn’t even standing?
Ms Dodds’ campaign really has been the lowest of the low.
The local policies she offers are primarily things that are already happening, courtesy of other organisations like Ofcom (broadband) or the Labour-run Welsh Assembly Government (healthcare and economic improvement).
As a Liberal Democrat, she cannot influence Parliamentary decisions on Brexit and anybody supporting her for her party’s ‘Remain’ stance is throwing their vote away on a protest.
Labour is the only choice for real change. Claims that the party’s policy on Brexit is confused are lies. Claims that it is mired in anti-Semitism are lies.
And you know why?
Because people like Jane Dodds know they can only beat Labour by making a fool out of you.
And that is the full extent of their purpose.
They won’t do anything to help you, if they get elected.
They will simply reinforce the hard, right-wing, neoliberal consensus that has squashed working people for the last nine years since the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats entered their unholy alliance to inflict unnecessary austerity on us while filling their own pockets.
But don’t take my word for it. If Ms Dodds wins, you’ll be able to see for yourself. Any progress will be from policies already enacted by Ofcom and by Labour. The Yellow Tory will do nothing for you.
Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Here are four ways to be sure you’re among the first to know what’s going on.
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (in the left margin). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
I have to say Mike that I prefer the Lib Dem candidate to win and not the convicted criminal Davies.
My point is that they are both diabolical choices – and the only reason voters are polarising around them is because they have been told – by these two candidates – that they are the only possible choices.
Voters here are being led by the nose and it is absolutely heartbreaking. If they only stopped to think for five minutes, they’d vote Labour.
Well, I think “bollocks to brexit” is working rather well, don’t you?
If you’re temporamentally-disposed to wasting your vote on a pointless protest that will saddle you with a useless, unrepresentative representative, then yes.
Always good stuff on this site. Follow it for yourselves!
It’s in our interests that the Lib Dems win the seat. Anything that reduces the government’s majority should be welcomed.
It is not in anybody’s interest to have another do-nothing neoliberalism-supporting parasite sucking down £70K per year and contributing nothing in return.
Please go and screw your head back on before it comes undone completely.
It’s not in any ones interest Mike, to waste a vote on parti LLafur in a seat where they cannot possibly hope to win, and where a wasted vote will allow someone who pleaded guilty to a criminal offence, be reinstated back into their old job. There is no logic in your position, especially in view of the shambles in the Senedd where Llafur are creating almost as much inequality in Cymru as the Tories.
Who says Labour can’t hope to win? Representatives of other parties. Did it never occur to you that they may be saying that simply to boost their own vote?
I take it you are a Liberal Democrat. Supporter? Or full party member?
Mike, the Labour party polled just over 7,000 votes at the 2017 general election, less than 18% of the votes cast on a turnout of almost 77%.
The recent poll by Number Cruncher but Tom Davies on just 8%, be realistic, its not going to happen for Labour in Brecon and Radnor. You may personally see the Liberal Democrats as a poor option, but do you really want to open the door to Chris Davies being reelected ?
Be interesting to know which you consider the lesser of two evils, especially since the majority of the constituency over the last 20 Years have appeared satisfied with the job that Liberal Democrat AM Kirsty Williams has done.
If I accept your version of being “realistic”, I condemn Brecon and Radnorshire to another period of suffering miserable representation – whether it’s by a Conservative convict, a Brexiteer, or a useless, spamming Liberal Democrat.
Number-crunchers like you always forget the one important thing that voters must remember: Their duty is to vote for the person they think will do the best job of representing their constituency, not the one the Liberal Democrats say is best-placed to beat the Tory / to beat the Brexiteers [delete as appropriate per election].
So it’s not about opening the door to one bad lot by not voting for another bad lot. It’s never about that.
You would do well to remember that.
Shameful, and all too typical of many campaigns by the major parties. What should happen is that the party itself should agree upon what it thinks then try to persuade the electorate why that is the right way forward. Instead, even when parties don’t resort to these kind of dirty tactics, which is often, they decide policy based on what they think will be popular with the electorate rather than best for the country.
These are the reasons why the public often feel so disconnected from politics and politicians.
Boris could, of course, drop the GE bombshell. May did it to try and improve her majority and ensure she personally had a mandate. She failed but who is to say that Boris would actually do worse. And there is a second reason why he may decide it’s the right thing to do. If he calls an election then it has the same effect as proroguing the government and would prevent MPs from stopping a no deal Brexit. But, under the current Fixed Term Parliament Act then they would need the support of Labour too. But how awkward would it be for Labour to refuse, especially after challenging him to do so?
Labour wants an election.
I don’t know why you’re surprised; it’s what we’ve come to expect from politicians for the last… 5 decades, possibly, since the dawn of time! Why do you think that Jeremy Corbyn isn’t faring well?
Is he not?
Give me an anti Brexit LIb Dem MP over a Brexit enabling Labour MP any time.
Oh and it is the Labour Party that are the true enablers of Tory governments as they never changed our unfair voting system when they were in power, thus allowing majority Tory governments on a minority share of the vote.
I look to the future, getting rid of BoJo the Clown and stopping Brexit. No doubt you’ll be moaning about the Coalition in 20 years time. I personally haven’t forgiven Labour for going into Coalition with the Tories in 1931.
Anyway, regardless of the bitter rants on this website that clearly hasn’t heard of a spell check, the Lib Dems are going to romp it on Thursday while Labour will be lucky to hold onto their deposit.
Our Labour candidate supports remaining in the EU. Where do you stand on that?
You’re right that neoliberal new Labour didn’t change the voting system. The Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn differs from that organisation on many issues, of course. I can’t say it differs on the issue of proportional representation. That said, I’m sure you recall the referendum on proportional representation a few years ago. I was one of the Labour Party members who campaigned in favour of it, so – again – that issue is not as clear-cut as you are presenting it.
You suggest that I’ll be moaning about the Tories in 20 years, but your comment about the 1931 National Government suggests that, in fact, you may be more likely to harbour a grudge than me.
Maybe the Lib Dems will “romp it” on Thursday – and then we’ll all have a good look at the amount they say they’ve spent on leaflets and bussing members in from other parts of the country… the whole campaign, really.