GLA candidate selected for Croydon & Sutton
Steve O'Connell, Croydon deputy council leader, was a deserving first round winner. He was by far the most confident speaker, the most authoritative, the most in command of his brief and the most fired up. I have every confidence that he will be an excellent successor to Andrew Pelling, who has stepped down to concentrate on representing these parts in Westminster.
As to the other candidates, Jackie Doyle-Price impressed me once she moved on from a toe-curlingly awful first couple of minutes, when she rather ill-advisedly told us of her love of karaoke and Coronation Street rather than cutting to the chase. Having read the CVs, she was the one I wanted to win prior to hearing the speeches and Q&A sessions. She was passionate in her address, and I think that if she had not made such a hash of things at the start it might not have been a first round knockout by O'Connell, who, admittedly, also had the local advantage . Perhaps wisely the meeting's chairman did not give a vote tally. I know she has applied elsewhere and do hope to see her in Westminster some time soon.
Total turn out was circa 250-300, with blog regular Nick and his wife in attendance, having very kindly furnished me with a lift too, for which thanks.
As to the other candidates, Jackie Doyle-Price impressed me once she moved on from a toe-curlingly awful first couple of minutes, when she rather ill-advisedly told us of her love of karaoke and Coronation Street rather than cutting to the chase. Having read the CVs, she was the one I wanted to win prior to hearing the speeches and Q&A sessions. She was passionate in her address, and I think that if she had not made such a hash of things at the start it might not have been a first round knockout by O'Connell, who, admittedly, also had the local advantage . Perhaps wisely the meeting's chairman did not give a vote tally. I know she has applied elsewhere and do hope to see her in Westminster some time soon.
Total turn out was circa 250-300, with blog regular Nick and his wife in attendance, having very kindly furnished me with a lift too, for which thanks.
Labels: Croydon
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on Saturday, March 31, 2007 at 12:50 pm.
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I'm a big fan of primaries, but do you think there is a risk that we might miss out on less extrovert/verbose talent?
PT - yes, I think that is true. Nick was on the shortlisting panel, and noted that one of the candidates would be an ideal backroom bod to have, but felt that he just could not cut it for a more public role.
Looking at some of the less charismatic, but extremely talented people in Parliament (no names...), I do wonder how they charmed their way into safe seats.
Not entirely practical, but it would be interesting to see what would happen if primaries saw selection of all the London (say) candidates - maybe there would be more of a focus on building an overall team rather than a selection of verbally dextrous charmers. Perhaps the only thing to be said for party list systems is that a party can shoo in folk who are never going to set the pulses of the electorate racing.
Hmm. Is the winner
a/ black
b/ female
c/ a lesbian
d/ an admirer of Peter Tatchell, Castro etc.?
I think we shd be told. And so shd Mr Cameroon.
White, middle aged, married with kids...
Helen Stevens applied for Enfield-Haringey. If I'm right, the layout of her CV was appalling (designed as an "In Touch").
Yup, she used the same thing this time. Clearly a very clever and talented woman, but a bit lacking in a track record of political street fighting.
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