The result of the by-election was a surprise to all, in the same manner as the referendum result. Everyone, especially Zac Goldsmith, was expecting him to be re-elected by a margin less than his previous huge majority.
He resigned from the Conservative party and his representation on their behalf to be re-elected as an independent fighting against the third runway that would overfly the constituency.
The Conservatives decided not to put up a candidate and UKIP didn’t want to go there and be in for a hiding for nothing as it is ‘elite’ territory. Labour put up a token fight but for the same reason the constituents were not typical Labour supporters.
The Liberals, though, realised that Richmond in the referendum having voted 69.3% to Remain and only 30.7% to Leave, that there was a huge possibility to severely dent the majority of Zac by appealing to the Remainers.
I am sure that Zac had a real hard time campaigning against the Liberals because they were out in force with full party backing. Having cut his ties with the Conservatives, he could only call on a small amount of troops to assist with campaigning about the third runway and the opposition were campaigning against Brexit (however that is defined).
In the end the result was;-
Liberals 20510 votes, 49.7%.
Zac Goldsmith (Ind) 18638 votes, 45.1%.
Labour 1515 votes, 3.7%, lost deposit.
All others 620 total, 1.5%, all lost deposits.
Bouyant Liberals
On the news the Liberal leader proudly claims his party are back in the running and now he intends to put more pressure on Theresa May to do a soft Brexit, but only after Parliament approves it.
The campaigners for the Liberals also claimed that while door knocking there were significant numbers of people who admitted they voted to Leave and subsequently regretted it.
That may have been true but I bet there were even more people who admitted they voted Remain and regretted it after the dire predictions didn’t happen.
My reason for saying this is what no-one has yet realised, that in the referendum 693 out of every 1000 people in Richmond voted to Remain and 307 out of every 1000 people voted to Leave. In the by-election with the Liberals trying to get the Remainers to send a powerful message to the government and to fight back against the referendum result, only 497 out of 1000 supported that plea. That is a drop in Remainers of 196 in a 1000 or a swing against remain of 19.6%. How about that then?
What else do we know?
Despite the apparent intransigence of Theresa May to be knocked off course for invoking Article 50 by 31 March, her Chancellor of the Exchequer will not support leaving the Single Market. The Foreign Secretary tells EU representatives that he is happy with the free movement of people.
Then the Brexit Secretary David Davis states in the Commons, in answer to a Labour question, that if access to the Single Market cannot be obtained without a payment to the EU then that’s what will be agreed. In effect a continued membership fee!
The Supreme Court will start hearing the appeal by the government from Monday onward but is unlikely to give a determination before mid January. Whatever it decides, it intends to play for time to make it near impossible for Theresa May to get through the House of Commons and House of Lords the necessary legislation to invoke Article 50 in the event that the Supreme Court upholds the biased decision of the High Court.
Frankly I cannot see how the Supreme Court will decide in favour of the Government because the judges are fundamentally, politically, financially and socially part of the elite.
A ruling that Parliament is supreme over the people brings us to the brink of civil war, because it means that our vote is worthless. All the centuries of demands of the people to choose those who govern according to the wishes of the people will have been swept away.
Looking into the abyss
Europe could start going up in flames because countries are close to bankruptcy and won’t be able to pay public servants because of the stress caused by the euro, because of unemployment, because of unfair and draconian EU regulations, because of overwhelming tension in Sweden between the indigenous population and the hordes of Moroccans now causing civil unrest, rapes, burglaries and other crimes, because of social pressures in all EU countries and because of the unrestricted invasion of foreigners.
Add to this that Britain has polarised again between the elitists (Cavaliers) and populists (Roundheads). As I write this the anti-EU presidential hopeful Norbert Hofer could become Austrian President. Likewise in the referendum on the constitution in Italy, also today, the government could lose the vote and the President be forced to resign, leaving the anti-EU 5Star party as the biggest party of government.
If Europe doesn’t burn
We need to somehow do next Thursday 8th December in the Sleaford & North Hykeham by-election where there is a majority of Leavers, what the Liberals did with the Remainers in Richmond. Then all pulling behind our new leader do the same in every constituency in the land that voted to Leave with a potential to notch up 421 seats for UKIP.
That’s what we might have to do because the Brexit team within Theresa May’s government are already revealing that we will end up with associated membership of the EU. There is the strong possibility though that by mid 2019 the EU won’t exist any more, because of the rise of populism, the Peoples’ voice being heard at last. Otherwise I can see UKIP campaigning for the 2020 General election on a policy of Leaving the EU again. What madness.
I live in the constituency and the LibDem election machine was very impressive. I was leafleted 3 times in the last week and door knocked twice. The number of signs they got up was amazing, perhaps one for every 20 houses in my area. They seemed to bus in a lot of people to hit the streets. SW London is their home patch with Clegg living here and people like Ed Davey and Vince Cable so they do have a lot of resources, but it was still an abject lesson in ‘ground game’.
I know this changes the subject a bit but is anyone else a bit fed up with the new moaning epidemic to do with our new £5.00 notes, I think they are quite smart myself but not so the Hindu contingent. Apparently the amount of animal fat is miniscule but they are going to take it to the wonderful equalities commission, so here we go again, another minority group holding sway over the majority over religious grounds.
If they don’t like them then don’t use them, it is as simple as that, why should it all be changed at great expense by the way paid for by guess who?-The majority. This is somewhat akin to my dislike of eating Halal meat, I do try to avoid it but sometimes end up eating it, it is my choice at the end of the day, but I personally have not asked for it to be withdrawn because it offends me. I thought we were supposed to be a tolerant society but does it only work one way then?
I hate the bl**dy things – so there,
but then I`m a swivel eyed Xenophobe
Well don’t use them then or wear gloves! And I am a swivel eyed patriot.
I believe that under our new management the future looks bright. We’ve had spokespersons in the media already and Suzanne bravely attending HIGNFY, knowing she was bound to be crucified and coping very well under the circumstances. All we need now is Italy and Austria to go our way, thus putting huge pressure on the EU commission and a good result in Stamford, even if it’s not a win ( It is possible we could take it but that would be an unprecedented result).
After many weeks of frustration, I’m looking forward to the next few months !
Austria has not chosen the far right party, but it was quite close. Now we wait on Italy which could quite easily go the same way.
Italy have done it! They have said no, this could be it, at last the disintegration of the EU is now on the cards, Let the fun begin as we watch the whole damn thing crumble
When do the bulldozers move in?
Surely the government is home and dry on the little matter of the third runway.
Roger,
If I was Mrs.May I would be sending them in tomorrow whilst I have got the chance.
There was no surprise about this result to any1 who knows the area well. Richmond-Upon-Thames is full of well-heeled Cultural Marxists, As is South-West Greater London stretching up the course of the Thames from there to Kingston.
The LibDems’ (please don’t refer to them as ‘Liberals’ – they’re no such thing) collapse in its vote in 2015 was an anomaly due to the unpopularity with its voting base of Clegg’s decision to go into coalition with the Tories. That’s gone now & its voting base has returned after Clegg’s departure from the leadership. The real level of support they have in that constituency should have been judged not on the anomaly on the 2015 General Election, but the 2010 GE, which show it as a marginal, the Tories having only just taken it off of the LibDems.
Goldsmith – if he wanted to continue his Westminster career, which I’m not overly sure he actually did? – was principled but recklessly careless to have risked a by-election for the national level government on the basis of an independent candidacy campaigning on a local single issue.
It’s depressing that the quite awful Liberal Democrats are back in business, I had hoped that the rise of UKIP had succeeded in burying them in 2015.
Ajax;
You cannot bury ‘zombies’ unfortunately.
Ajax. I would appreciate your thoughts on the following. Am I misguided or on to something?
At short notice, I stood against Farron at the last election. And I may have the opportunity again if the Maybug calls an election in the next year or so.
I took the trouble, when Farron became leader, to keep a copy of his acceptance speech, faithfully reported by our local, Liberal paper.
Amongst many things, he dislikes nationalism and favours religious equality. I favour gender equality, especially where the two conflict, which will immediately put us on a collision course, mine being the arguably racist assertion that all Islam-inspired mysogyny should be proscribed.
But my point is there is a malignancy at the heart of “liberalism” (Farron style) which has never been exposed and my intention, given the opportunity, would be to expose it, using his words.
It’s not just “which bit of democrat does he not get?” I think it’s more that people don’t get the intolerance of “liberalism” and see them instead as some kind of warm and cuddly labour-lite. Rather sweet and harmless.
I think they’re bloody dangerous and long overdue for exposure.
Your thoughts?
Alan
@Alan,
Yes you are on to something, but it needs refining.
#1 Never call the LibDems ‘Liberal’, they are not. You must train that American political term completely out of your vocabulary when discussing them.
Liberalism falls into 2 schools, the 1st is Classical Liberalism, & the 2nd is Neo-Liberalism. They are neither, they are Cultural Marxists (& that’s not a fashionable term I use lightly, it’s exactly what they are Marxists that have abandoned the economic theory of that baleful ideology, but hold fast to its tenets in all other regards politically and philosophically) and use – as you correctly say – the name ‘Liberal’ as cover for what their real game it.
I would attack Farron on his C.M. extremity.
A brief glance thru his Wikipedia entry provides ample ammunition in itself (& there will be more if you google search him in depth & the party’s manifesto under his leadership). Tell the voters of W&L:
#1 About his statements, actions in Parliament in their name, and policy positions on mass foreign immigration.
#2. That he favours discrimination against English people in favour of ethnic minorities for appointments to public office.
#3. That a primary concern of his with regard to the condition of our Armed Forces is the advancement of same gender marriage within it.
4. That he’s supports unilateral nuclear disarmament by us in an increasingly nuclear armed world
5. That he supports England’s dissolution in the national acid bath that is the eu; opposed holding a referendum on the issue to seek the people’s view of the matter; and is now using the constituency’s authority in Parliament to try to block the Referendum’s decision, undermining in the process the foundations of democracy.
6. He supports the legalization of narcotics.
Everything you attack him with like this you must thoroughly research beforehand to make sure it’s 100% true, only then can you go with it. This is important, don’t get carried away & say anything you can’t prove, as you could end up in court over it.
My advice is stay off religion in putting your position forward, posit yourself as a traditional common sense English yeoman opposing an extremist, & just tell people who he is beyond the friendly image that the dreadful LD’s carefully convey to gull the electorate into voting for them. Their actual policies reveal who and what they truly are.
Thanks for this. Need to think on it.
I know the religious aspect is extreme … but that’s what he says. And what it means is awful. awesomely so. No pun intended.
Can’t help thinking Farage’s appeal is built around an unfashionable degree of honesty. An honest man in politics. It’s been said elsewhere on this site.
It’s almost so extreme that it repels people, initially at least, yet somehow they come around to it.
Gender inequality affects half the population directly and is, numerically, huge. Mega huge.
How do you set that hare running? Can one set it running? Or is the personal price too high?
Dear Antony (Nailer),
Sarah Olney also knows what suffering feels like:
http://talkradio.co.uk/news/new-richmond-park-mp-sarah-olney-dragged-air-pr-after-grilling-julia-1612027334
Regards, Toby 01932-873557
Tony,
Loved every minute of that what an absolute hoot, the radio presenter was brilliant I wish she could question a few more ‘remainers’. Never thought I would say this, but I am beginning to feel a bit sorry for the poor Richmond constituents having a dummy like that representing them in Parliament.
I listened to that very “moving” (or should I say RE-moving) interview Toby and was rather disconcerted by the silence at the end of it – I waited the customary couple of minutes and perhaps added a few -Julia must have liquidated her RIP Sarah.
Ouch! It’s toe-curling stuff listening to Olney crumble, but I don’t feel sorry for her, even though she’s obviously a bit special needs and as naive as they come.
She’s been primed by another Limp Dumb know-it-all who knows that the people who voted Leave didn’t know what they were voting for even though we know that the question was perfectly clear and everyone knows what the word ‘Leave’ means, except apparently the likes of Farron and Olney who think it means ‘Stay, ‘Don’t go’, ‘Don’t depart’, ‘Refrain from going’, ‘Go a little, but then come back’, ‘Remain behind’ or just ‘Remain’.
Yes, that’s it! ‘Leave’ means ‘Remain’ because in our Alice Through the Looking-Glass World, as Humpty Dumpty said: “When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”
Time to push the Humpties off the wall, I think.
OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL or GOOD KING WENCELAS?
Personally I am an optimist and so think the latter is the mood in Europe.
We have only hours to wait for the first signs in Italy and Austria.
The faithful to the EU are dwindling and beginning to freeze to death The harsh wind of truths and justice will blow them away. So probably we wont be exiting the EU in an orderly fashion but ejected as the EU begins to implode before 2017 is ended. The Feast of Stephen (patron of eurosceptic Hungary) on 26th December will see the poor i.e. the ordinary people of Europe increasingly emboldened by the staggering events today and by the concomitant growth of the Freedom Movement in Denmark, France, and above all the Netherlands.
Bliar is so out of touch with reality that he thinks his interventions can turn back the tide of Europe and its renascimiento!?
Thank God Trump triumphed in the USA. The best friend we will ever have.
CK,
I have got news for you Mr. Blair has been out of touch with reality for many years now.