Comments on: Bolton West

By: Falkirkbairn01

Falkirkbairn01 — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:21:34 +0000

I think this will go Tory IMHO, I think the national swing may be a little too much. Even if a strong local campaign is fought.

By: David Nettleton

David Nettleton — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:48:52 +0000

I’m not so sure about a Tory gain here. For 12 years I lived on the Mount Skip estate in nearby Little Hulton. My father was a Labour councillor in the 1960’s. Places like Atherton and Westhoughton – cow’yed city – have a long tradition of voting Labour for social rather than political reasons.

By: Peter Election Follower

Peter Election Follower — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:32:56 +0000

Another seat where boundary changes make it less marginal for Labour.

However there is no incumbency as Ruth Kelly is standing down.

Opinion polling seems shows North West as a whole to be good ground for Tories.

I predict Con gain.

By: heatherrylance

heatherrylance — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:29:42 +0000

Can you please update. Rachel Mann-Green Party candidate.
Thanks

By: geoff smith

geoff smith — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:46:53 +0000

Rachel Mann is Green Party candidate

By: Frederic Stansfield

Frederic Stansfield — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:34:49 +0000

There appears to be a storm of opposition to Friday counting in Newcastle, but is it happening here? This is a key marginal where people will be looking to the result, and where the best possible counting arrangements are particularly important.

By: Neil Turner

Neil Turner — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:07:32 +0000

This is indeed bad news for election result watchers!!

We could end up with a situation whereby Mr Brown doesn’t have to go and see the Queen until Saturday lunch time!!

By: Frederic Stansfield

Frederic Stansfield — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:34:06 +0000

According to the Facebook group “Save General Election Night” the Bolton seats are planning to count on the Friday. Comments on this site are generally hostile to such a plan not just in terms of popular interest also to ensure that the votes are counted as soon as possible to minimise any theoretical possibilities of tampering.

As with Bolton North-East, this seat is in the range on the Conservative Target list where the result is important as to which party forms the next Government. It would be a great pity to have the result declared whilst people are at work rather than on election night.

By: Neil Turner

Neil Turner — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:26:33 +0000

In terms of predicting this seat then I believe that the 1983 result will be a useful guideline – I predict that Labour will perform worse than 1983, but the boundary changes will help them just about claw back to this level of support.

In terms of Labour Leadership, maybe Harriett Harperson is in the front seat! Some of the constituencies will have to have a name change…..’Manchester Withington’ will have to change to ‘non-genderchester Withington!’….it’s all a bit of a joke!

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:02:09 +0000

“That is premature in the extreme. We’ll soon see how Cameron in government handles the European issue, and it’s a good bet that he’ll have to fudge and compromise as all governments have to, to the inevitable fury of the “euro-sceptic faction”.

In office, the Tories will have to choose to either bury their rhetoric on renegotiating existing treaties and repatriating EU powers, or leave the EU, risking economic suicide. The potential for a new civil war to break out in the party along these lines may be considerable.”

There is no euro-sceptic faction in the Conservative party, it has now overwhelming support of MPs, activists, members, supporters and voters. Any attempt by Cameron to surrender on Europe would destroy his government and he’s far to skilful a politician to make a mistake like that. Remember that unlike the 1990s there is now in UKIP a ready made protest party for disgruntled Conservatives.

Your surrender to the EU policy has seen this country lose out every time it is applied – see Blair’s surrender on the budget rebate for instance. On the other side when a hard line is taken with the EU concessions are won. Ultimately this country is a nett contributor to the EU and also has a trade deficit with the EU so we have a lot stronger bargaining position than you seem to think.