Comments on: CrosbyTextor marginal poll

By: Guy Atherton

Guy Atherton — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 18:18:26 +0000

Anthony – I am not saying it was a deliberate bias to Labour and some sort of conspiracy. It is just a natural outcome to the lateness of boundary changes and our electoral system – 1992 Tories win by 7.5% but have a majority of 22, fast forward to 2005 and Labour win by 3% and have a majority of 60+. For the Tories to win they need a 10% lead (assuming a uniform swing – which won’t happen). Not a conspiracy but a built in advantage for Labour.

By: Anthony Wells

Anthony Wells — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:27:48 +0000

Guy – swings and roundabouts, clearly there are specific cases where the changes favour Labour, cases where they favour the Conservatives and so on. I fail to see any way that these specific changes can be sen as being biased towards Labour – the way boundary changes are conducted based on old population figues favours Labour, but that isn’t down to this government – it was ever thus.

By: Guy Atherton

Guy Atherton — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 00:46:18 +0000

Anthony – yes the boundary changes do favour the Conservatives but they always were due to population changes. However they could have been even more favourable to the Tories. Take Derbyshire Mid – a new seat which happens to take several very Conservative wards from Derby North and Derby South which were both Con-Lab fights (Lab hold both) – so now Labour ensure they hold those two and the Tories gain one. When they could have potentially gained both.
Also remember in 2005 the Tories gained more votes than Labour in England and yet got many less seats. So the boundary changes should attempt to address this but remember it is based on the 2001 census so is already 6 years out of date!

By: Anthony Wells

Anthony Wells — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 22:41:03 +0000

The boundary changes have already been approved and – like all boundary reviews do because the way population movements tend to occur – favour the Conservatives.

By: Drew

Drew — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 22:02:37 +0000

I can’t believe anyone on here could have the nerve to make reference to the millions put in by Ashcroft to help the Conservatives…….

Personally, I think it’s high time we remind such people about the plentiful dodgy bank rolling of Labour party interests by numerous benefactors in the past 10 years…huh??!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, what about all the manipulating of constituency boundaries just to suit the labour party in some ‘marginal areas’?? You don’t honestly think these newly submitted boundary changes are going to be approved if it doesn’t favour New Labour interests, do you? Just like everything else New Labour do, really……

Thsese people had better keep stum and stop squirming and whinging when the Conservativwes get back in power and start giving New Labour a dose of their own ‘manipulating’ medicine.

Nevertheless, Anthony Wells has give a highly objective and more realistic assessment of the overall political picture where recent polling results are concerned.