Comments on: The Springburn Stramash: Glasgow NE By-Election Special

By: subrosa

subrosa — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:56:20 +0000

I did offer the questions to all candidates Will but only John Smeaton’s PR accepted.Then a few week’s later the Steamie had the same idea.

It’s wonderful to know that I can rise to equality with such an esteemed oracle on occasion.

Super to see all the blogs on one page. My idea for the next election is that somehow we in the Scottish blogosphere get together and issue a page similar to this on a daily basis. Most of you know I’m not a number-cruncher and leave that to others, but during this by-election I did have several emails from readers outside Scotland asking me where they could find number info. If we had a ‘daily election roundup’ (which we would all promote regularly) then I’m sure we would attract many more readers.

Thanks for the mention re the John Smeaton post. I think I deserve it – had to copy type the whole thing because the spacing was all wrong when I did a cut and paste from the email!

By: Rob Marrs

Rob Marrs — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:45:28 +0000

Great stuff, as ever, Will. Just noticed you covered my piece a few weeks ago in the round-up… thanks!

By: Wardog

Wardog — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:59:02 +0000

Equally chilling is the revelation that over 4000 extra voters have been added to the electoral register in the last month, accounting for 25% of those that voted.

By: Wardog

Wardog — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:56:59 +0000

Voter turnout, at 33.2%, was a record low for a Scottish by-election.

A truly shocking statistic made even worse by the state of this particular constituency and the poverty of ambition that resides there. the lack of aspiration, an acceptance of their lot and the willingness to continue to vote for a party that has failed the area so miserably is an affront to those that have fought & died to give us these freedoms.

The inability to imagine change, to envision real improvement and that this area can really improve has been shown to be completely missing from Glasgow North East and must surely be a matter of concern for all political parties and in particular the Labour Party who have represented these people for so long.

Will anything change, I doubt it.

It will take big ideas to change Springburn and no party offered that change during this campaign, no-one other than Tommy Sheridan offered an alternative vision to the failure of the last twenty five years and yet the voters flatly rejected that vision in favour for a campaign run negatively with no real policy content.

NB It would be interesting to see the demographic of those that voted, Glasgow City Council reported over 6000 registered postal votes, which accounts for 30% of votes cast, surely some kind of record in there too.