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5 things we learned in Feltham and Heston

December 16, 2011 12:20 pm

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Mark Ferguson

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1. Snap by-elections work – We have the opportunity to move quickly and campaign vigorously, meaning that on low turnout elections – which they invariably are – organisation should mean Labour hold seats and extend majorities. This should be the tactic for any further by-elections in Labour seats.

2. Tories still not cutting through – Cameron may be performing well in the opinion polls, and the Tories may have well overturned (in the short term at least) Labour’s lead in the polls, but when it comes to by-elections, the cliched “only votes that count” aren’t going to the blues. Feltham and Heston was a seat the Tories needed to win in 2010 to form a majority government. It looks beyond them for 2015.

3. The Lib Dem by-election machine is no more – they may have avoided the ignominy of repeating their woeful performance in Barnsley earlier this year, but they only managed to beat UKIP by a few dozen votes. Their triangulation game plan for by-elections is past it’s sell by date, and by-elections really do look like a two horse race right now.

4. Our system for selecting by-election candidates is still too secretive – Seema Malhotra was an excellent candidate, and will be a brilliant MP, but the selection process that brought about her candidacy is still alarmingly opaque. Longlisting and shortlisting seemed to happen very quickly, and that needlessly ruffled some feathers locally. In future we need good candidates AND an open and clear process for selecting them – it’s the least that members and the electorate deserve.

5. Labour’s electoral machine in London is strong – there’s a sizeable proportion of activists in the capital, and when mobilised properly for by-elections (including council by-elections), they’re a formidable electoral machine. Contrary to popular belief, next year’s mayoral contest is likely to be a ground war, rather than an air war. In that sense, Labour’s ability to get thousands of activists to campaign hard in key areas is an asset, and one that must be leveraged properly in the run up to May.

Pingback: The follies of Feltham…. «
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray
Agree with all that. Its also interesting that an outer London seat which went blue in the last GLA and mayoral elections isn’t that way this time
GuyM
29% turnout a few days before Christmas with a clearly apathetic public who know the result makes no difference to any policy.
Anyone could have won under those circumstances and I’d say the same thing, that it was near meaningless. But of course as the Christmas break starts and politics goes into hibernation this by-election does have the merit of providing opportunity for over analysis and much debate for political hacks of all colours so keeping boredom from their door until January.
Personally I had Elder Scrolls: Skyrim bought for my birthday, so in the coming three weeks, when not working, I know what I’ll be doing and it won’t be paying much attention to the good people of Feltham….

http://www.facebook.com/davidlevene David Levene
Anyone … except the Tories. Or the Lib Dems. Or UKIP, or the BNP, the Greens, the English Democrats, or the randoms. But apart from then, anyone

GuyM
Nope anyone, the by-election means nothing and won’t even be news within a couple of days. Same with the next one and so on, until we start getting close to a GE, and even then it’s a completely different dynamic.
Labour could ahve lost the seat and whilst the media would have gone into a feeding frenzy, on such a low turnout before Christmas I’d have shrugged my shoulders and said “so what”… as I am doing now.
I’m not saying Labour didn’t do as well as they should or could or might or whatever…. I’m saying it’s pretty irrelevant irrespective of the result.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MCHMWHXOWHZGAMD2YHT36LW2LY Alan Giles
It was clearly a good result for Labour – especially when one considers that the candidate was replacing “Mr. Expenses”, quite often a party is unfairly punished for the misdeeds of the previous incumbant, even thgough the new candidate was not responsible for the actions of their predecessor.
It is not surprising there was a low turn-out; this probably had nothing to do with the candidate, even on a hot day in midsummer by-elections are often poorly supported – on a cold miserable day in December it is not at all surprising. I think Guy is being a little unfair in his remarks, if he will allow me to say so.

GuyM
By-elections tradiotnally only get the interest of those who want to register a protest vote of die hard party loyalists.
As the only protect vote option is Labour at the moment and the result changes nothing at time that is worrying for many regarding jobs and income, plus throw in some bad weather, and does it really mean anything significant?
Come on, really?

http://www.facebook.com/matt.goddin Matt Goddin
how would we mobilise fast and have longlisting and shortlisting happen more slowly. The lesson is get a good candidate early and get working doesn’t it?
Anonymous
That sounds impressive Mark, clearly you have a lot of experience in local campaigning?
It sounds like London is a key site to win over seats from the Tories,
but great to hear such a strong base of activists, and the tried and tested methods
still working.
I think Peter B has some good suggestions about voter ID,
although I’m not familiar with this.
I honestly think there are many great people in the Labour party
at grassroots’ level- but perhaps more co ordination and sharing of ideas
across geographical areas might be productive also.
It was particularly inspiring watching ordinary members and party activists
speaking at conference; also in the past at the TUC annual gathering.
It’s bound to be a long uphill struggle, eg with limited funds- but if the party
utilizes its many members across the country this could be its greatest asset.
Good luck- onwards and upwards for 2012!
Jo

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