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General Election 2011 - Douglas North


Declan

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Just listening to the broadcast this morning complete with the double act of Henderson and Houghton. The second world war music hall comedians, Flanagan and Allen spring to mind.

I expected 'Underneath the arches' as fade out music.

 

SPOKEN:

CHESNEY ALLEN: Lovely melody, Bud. Do you remember when we first sang

it?

BUD FLANAGAN: Yes, Ches. We used to sit on a seat with the Thames

Embankment behind us. You had a newspaper and read the headlines.

CA: That's quite right, Bud. I've still got that paper. D'you

remember the date? Nineteen hundred and twenty-six.

BF: Ches, read those headlines again.

CA: Ah, here's one. Gertrude Edderley, eighteen-year-old American.

First woman to swim The Channel.

BF: Listen to this. Cricket. Ashes for England after fourteen years.

CA: Irish woman, Violet Gibson, shoots Mussolini in the nose.

BF: Oh! listen. Churchill's unpopular budget. Five per-cent tax on

all legal bets.

CA: Charlie Chaplin not to retire.

BF: Second time in history, Atlantic flown by three Spaniards.

CA: Here's one. Death of Barbara La Marr, film actress with five

husbands.

BF: BBC asks for nine shillings instead of seven-and-six for wireless

licence.

CA: Hopes of return to penny post.

BF: Listen to this, Ches. Bookmakers in a bad way.

CA: Ah, that'll be the day, Bud...........Well, things are a little

different now, aren't they?

BF: They certainly are and if they keep on improvin' like they're

doin' now, you'll know where we'll be......back again......

Sleeping when it's raining

And sleeping when it's fine

Trains rattling

By above

 

Pavement is our pillow

No matter where we stray

Underneath the arches

We dream our dreams away

 

 

 

(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - July 4th 2002)

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yes, but you are here, which is more than can be said for the others - innit theo? :) You won my ma n pa's vote (slight bit of persuasion from me but nothing too heavy) you are great - forget t'others x

 

thanks for your kind and encouraging words, much appreciated.

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I suspect the others might be lurking - certainly, Houghton appeared to have learned from the comments about his aggressive performance in his last interview. It still didn't stop him jumping in from time to time, but at least he wasn't trying to drown out everyone else this time.

Henderson managed to promote himself as an experienced MHK whilst, at the same time, contriving to sound completely out of his depth.

Peter Hill seemed too quiet to deal with the others and, as a result, was pretty much swamped. His admission that he was standing in the constituency 'because the party asked him to' will have done him no favours in the area and I think its reasonable to say that he's not going to become a serious challenger.

Theo, on the other hand, was polite enough to have made a decent impression and yet determined enough not to be overwhelmed by the other two (by the way, I find 'Pinky & Perky more appropiate than 'Bill & Ben).

The problem is that no one has managed to drive a wedge between H & H, and that will have to be done if at least one of them is to be ousted.

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Heard the election broadcast for Douglas North this morning. I think both John Houghton and Bill Henderson's biggest weakness is their delusion about their own abilities and their unremitting self-belief. Whilst on occasion they get things right, when they do get it wrong their error of judgement and awareness is magnified by their sheer bluster and bullying manner which makes them look foolish. They too often resemble pantomime dames. You need passion and conviction in politics but it needs to be aimed and directed with at least some degree of accuracy. Neither of them are Grade 'A' politicians and possess neither the intellect or understanding to be acting in the way they do. One of them is going to be unseated here but I'm not sure which. If they could rein themselves in a bit more and grow up they'd have a much more secure future.

 

Peter Hill had a chance to put forward his claim but he shot himself in one foot and LibVan in the other by appearing to be in the Party but not of it. It's a shame because he has at least some genuinely common sense views. He'll find it hard to cross the river with bullet holes in both boots. Theo was the winner partly by the contrast he offers with the Men in Black, Houghton and Henderson. He comes over as willing to listen and learn, with a genuine humility and substance and enough intelligence to be effective. He's probably worth a vote if you're unsure.

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With apologies to Beth Espey, who the hell is Bellenderson?

It was a slight mistake on her part.

 

The correct pronunciation is of course Bellend Henderson.

 

 

I'm sure Bill thinks very highly of you too. It's hard to believe, reading some of your insults, that you stood for election yourself 5 years ago.

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I'm sure Bill thinks very highly of you too. It's hard to believe, reading some of your insults, that you stood for election yourself 5 years ago.

Isn't it just :) I do apologise if my attempt at humour didn't work on this occasion - I am German after all, so probably not very good at this.

 

Personally, however, I couldn't care less what Tweedledum or Tweedledee think about me. The kind of sideshow-double-act-politics that has been going on there is exactly what the island doesn't need right now and shows very well what is wrong with the political system here. A postman and a nurse perfecting the art of granny farming and estate pleasing to ensure a continued ride on the gravy train - all while not having much of a clue how to refill the rapidly emptying fuel tank of said train. It is very hard not to choose strong words when describing this sort of thing - and lest we forget that one part of the Siamese Twins showed his true homophobic coulours not too long ago, a point he quickly brushed over in his usual bully-boy tactics when it came up on the MR piece. Are these the sort of people we want to entrust with acting in the best interest of the island and leading us through the tough times?

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I'm sure Bill thinks very highly of you too. It's hard to believe, reading some of your insults, that you stood for election yourself 5 years ago.

Isn't it just :) I do apologise if my attempt at humour didn't work on this occasion - I am German after all, so probably not very good at this.

 

Personally, however, I couldn't care less what Tweedledum or Tweedledee think about me. The kind of sideshow-double-act-politics that has been going on there is exactly what the island doesn't need right now and shows very well what is wrong with the political system here. A postman and a nurse perfecting the art of granny farming and estate pleasing to ensure a continued ride on the gravy train - all while not having much of a clue how to refill the rapidly emptying fuel tank of said train. It is very hard not to choose strong words when describing this sort of thing - and lest we forget that one part of the Siamese Twins showed his true homophobic coulours not too long ago, a point he quickly brushed over in his usual bully-boy tactics when it came up on the MR piece. Are these the sort of people we want to entrust with acting in the best interest of the island and leading us through the tough times?

 

No, they aren't...they are contemptible, self-serving, low-lives who disgrace the rest of us. Most especially of course, those who elect them.

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There is a major problem with Henderson and Houghton standing as a 'team' IMO, as their posters seem to suggest. They have similar views on things on island - yet seem to have very different and divergent views as to national politics and our relationships with the outside world. Such a cosy relationship between the two might work on a borough council level, but does not work if they both purport to collectively represent us nationally. After all we are now electing national politicians.

 

There is much at stake, and this election is about far more than fixing fences, signing passport applications and sorting out disputes with the MEA. In their case, joint poster efforts represent nothing but the cynical Granny Farming 'joker' being pulled out of the hat - concealing major differences between the two.

 

In current circumstances they are both out of their depth and indeed have both been proven to be spendthrifts and done their bit as part-architects of the tough times we now face. If the electorate re-elect them both again, it will only serve to prove the electorate are also out of their depth on the real issues facing us IMO.

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There is a major problem with Henderson and Houghton standing as a 'team' IMO, as their posters seem to suggest. They have similar views on things on island - yet seem to have very different and divergent views as to national politics and our relationships with the outside world. Such a cosy relationship between the two might work on a borough council level, but does not work if they both purport to collectively represent us nationally. After all we are now electing national politicians.

 

There is much at stake, and this election is about far more than fixing fences, signing passport applications and sorting out disputes with the MEA. In their case, joint poster efforts represent nothing but the cynical Granny Farming 'joker' being pulled out of the hat - concealing major differences between the two.

 

In current circumstances they are both out of their depth and indeed have both been proven to be spendthrifts and done their bit as part-architects of the tough times we now face. If the electorate re-elect them both again, it will only serve to prove the electorate are also out of their depth on the real issues facing us IMO.

Posters with pictures of two candidates, I think, constitutes a party, yet the are declaring they are independent. Maybe they are the 'Flowerpot Party'?

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I hope Douglas North manages to find a better Returning Officer than the one who would have had responsibility for the mixed up votes that deprived Billy Henderson of his seat until someone decided to call for a recount....

 

;)

Though with hindsight – he sounds like he was actually quite switched on.

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