8725 votes! (and a historic third term…)
Well, I certainly didn’t come into this expecting to hold up the Labour vote in Oxford West and Abingdon, so I hope I can be forgiven for being slightly pleased that the Labour vote didn’t decline by the three or four thousand I was expecting, but by just 389 votes - a mere 1.1%. Overheard at the count from one Liberal to another “But where did all those Labour votes come from?!” So, despite the count not being over until a monstrous 6am, I had an okay night personally. I have to laugh at the venom with which people have said to me (in person, at the Oxford STWC and in the comments down the page) “I hope you come third!” - surely they must realise that I always knew I would come third… And no, Evan, despite your “best” efforts, I didn’t lose my deposit. Results here at the Guardian - though they still can’t spell my name, despite me telling them at least three times!
Overall, of course, it was a good night for the party. Andrew’s back in Oxford East, thank goodness - couldn’t bear the thought of the Liberals representing the poorer areas of our city, away from the tourist cameras. Great team, and they pulled it out of the bag. And we’ve got that third term - let’s hope it’s less New Labour and more Labour (though they’ve just announced that Ruth Kelly will be staying on at education - and as an ex-Labour PPC I guess I can now say that when we have a still high (though falling) teenage pregnancy rate and a high STI rate amongst young people, putting a pro-lifer in charge of the teenage pregnancy unit and sex education in schools has always seemed totally ridiculous to me.)
I’m pleased that the number of woman MPs has gone up again to 21% - 136 of 645, mainly because of Labour’s committment to positive action, though it’s also partly due to the lower number of seats available this time too because of the Scottish reorganisation.
There were some losses - mostly unremarkable nationally, though having been through that moment when you think that your local area might lose its Labour representative, my heart goes out to the teams of activists in every seat that went blue or bluey-yellow last night. Somewhere and Somewhere Else South West may not feature on the rolling coverage, but when you’ve walked every street five times, know exactly the times when you can get into the controlled-entry block of flats just off the high street, and know what a Tory or Liberal will do to the place you love, it must be heartbreaking.
Particular commiserations to:
Lola, Bex and everyone in Hornsey - in losing Babs we’ve lost a real advocate for equality in the commons, despite her silly equivocations on top-up fees;
Chris, Josh, Carli and everyone in Bethnal Green, who’ve slogged for months;
Twiggy, who was a fabulous education minister and another one who really gave a fuck about equality;
Maggie Jones in Blaenau Gwent, who stood up against the “favoured son” mentality that has excluded women from parliament for years - Peter bloody Law, a seat in the Commons isn’t inherited, and you’re a fucking disgrace.
And well done for great campaigns to Anneliese in Billericay (principled left campaigning in the heartland of Essex man), Kirsty who took on Simon Hughes (I know what you’ve been through having battled a greasy Liberal myself!), Liam in Beckenham and the lovely Mark Macdonald in Wantage. All people who I hope will find a winnable seat next time.
Oh, and I know everyone’s focussing on the general election, and rightly so, but just wanted to say well done to Rae Humberstone, just elected in a bye-election as city councillor for Blackbird Leys with a majority of over 400, beating off the i-wickers. Hurrah!
And now I absolutely have to go to sleep. I’ve got lots of people I want to thank and lots of things that I’d like to say, but they’ll keep until tomorrow.
Well done on your result. As you might guess I have a slightly different outlook on Twigg and others, but Bethnal Green & Bow has been a hideous result for the constituency. And a tragedy in Upper Bann.
I look forward to seeing you defending a Labour seat next time.
I just wanted to say well done; I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of weeks now as someone who wasn’t sure whether they were going to vote Labour again. I did, so you’re clearly doing something right.
Good luck for the future!
Congratulations on your result. Your blog has made for a interesting and thought-provoking read. I hope you continue with it now the election has passed.
Congrats on your comapaign, i know in the depths of the NUS past we have not always seen eye-to-eye but thought i’d say that, you’ll make a fabulous MP. Here’s to 2009, Gordon Brown and a Labour safe seat for you. Helen A
If that’s Helen Aspell, it’s lovely to hear from you mate, and drop me a line so we can catch up. Antonia xx
Well done on the result. Good luck for 2009.
Well done. However I can’t agree with you re Peter Law. Nor evidently do the people of his consituency for they clearly felt that they should pick the right person for their constituency and not be dictated to from London.
Paul,
That’s the myth they’d like you to believe, that Blaenau Gwent CLP was dictated to by London. In fact, the decision to go with AWS in a proportion of seats being vacated by sitting MPs was taken by party conference, to which all CLPs get delegates, and confirmed by the NEC, elected by members, MPs and trade unions. LP democracy isn’t perfect, but this one happened through the correct channels.
Now, I’m sure you’ll agree with me that the practice of cosying up to a sitting MP over a number of years so that you become the favoured successor, as Peter Law did, is wrong, excludes women from getting selected and should be stamped out.
But beyond my views on AWS, whatever happened to loyalty? How dare he stand against the Labour Party after being a member for so long, over such a relatively trivial issue? Be cross, yes, be furious, yes (though personally I’d be crosser if I had a candidate from No. 10 imposed at three weeks’ notice, as had one of the Wolverhampton seats this time and St Helens South last time) but leave the LP and stand against the official candidate after 20-odd years membership and lose Labour their hard-won majority in the Welsh Asembly over it too? Over-reaction, just a little, I think.
PS - maybe I’d have a little more respect if he’d left and run a principled leftwing campaign against Labour on the issues, like Iraq and civil liberties - but he didn’t - he just whipped up feeling on the selection issue. Disgraceful.
Antonia, your remarks about Peter Law are absolute disgrace.
“A disgrace” - hardly. Antonia is entitled to her opinion. And please note that they were made more than a year ago, when Mr Law was still alive.
Antonia, whoever you are, you’re comments about Peter law are blatant mysogeny and disgraceful. This does nothing to present you as a rational commentator. DM
Misogyny - hatred of women. Peter Law - not a woman (obviously, otherwise there would have been far less trouble). And your point was?
At the end of the day - the best man won. Notice the total silence on Gwent since…