Some thoughts on Dane Valley By Election

I had the good fortune to meet briefly with Liberal candidate Bill Furness, yesterday who was busy canvassing for the by election in Dane Valley ward. It's clear that Bill Furness is already making a difference in the ward. Already he has highlighted and dealt with problems in the area, and has certainly be more active than the competition which not only includes wannabe councillors but also the two rather dormant councillors who already represent the ward.

I take it from the Labour camp that things are not entirely hunky dory with their campaign, I get the impression that certain leading figures within the Labour group are still a bit miffed that they didn't retained their county council seats, apparently rather illogically blaming Liberal voters for daring to vote with their conscience and not in the pragmatic win at any cost mentality exhibited by the Labour figures like Peter (what a chump) Mandelson.

Apparently according to my Labour source, what Dane Valley desperately needs is determined and well organised representation, which from my occasional chit chats with Bill Furness would certainly qualify the Liberal candidate, whom I believe was at the time of meeting, just finishing delivery of his forth communication with the people of Dane Valley.

My Labour correspondent seems to have a rather arrogant opinion of himself going as far as to blame Liberals for his own lacklustre performance in the county elections, ignoring the fact that parties such as UKIP had increase votes. I've no doubt that Labour activists at local level are honest decent people, but looking at MP's and Labour Lords and they're disgusting abuse of the expenses system then he ought really to be looking at his own party.

Also Labour don't help themselves and locally, in the last district elections, Labour did little canvassing in this area apparently assuming they had some god given right to win the three council seats in this ward, therefore handing local Conservatives three seats they might otherwise not expect to win.

Dane Valley is not necessary the most affluent area of Thanet, and of course it's ordinary working people who have suffered the brunt of the Labours mismanagement of the economy and will of course be spending many years paying for Labour's love affair with bankers and big business so Clive Harts crowd have a difficult job.

Not surprisingly neither Labour or the Conservatives wish to see the Liberals gain a foothold in Thanet district council, in fact the rather pointless argument was put by my Labour friend that one single Liberal councillor would not be able to form a group (thanks for pointing out the obvious) still what they would do is serve notice that the electorate have a choice which doesn't have to be some Muppet from the Labour or Tory party.

Anyway I would like to thank Bill Furness, for allowing me the privilege of signing his nomination papers and I hope he wins, which I'm sure he will do.