Lib Dems to win Brent by-election?
A momentous day and sign that national success is on its way? No, not the Lib Dems in the Brent by-election, though I'll get on to them. It's that for the first time ever this blog actually has some news that isn't rekindled from the Guardian or merely snide comments in disguise.It concerns the Brent by-election. It appears YouGov did some focus groups in
Brent and my source (a single source, but if it's good enough for the BBC/PM/White House it's good enough for me) tells me the general feeling was reflected by this story: "One group member commented that they'd had loads of leaflets from the Lib Dems and that Sarah Teather (the Lib Dem candidate) was a short, fat woman who has some something disingenous to say about every issue, but was still light years ahead of all the other candidates standing."
Furthermore the shift towards expecting a Lib Dem victory, reflected both at the bookies and in the generally negative view of my own party (see Howard refusing to answer questions from Newsnight, or May's downbeat assesment) came after the first and biggest batch of postal votes had arrived. Although these are not countable, party representatives do get to see them.
Another breakthrough for IDS then looks on the card. Can he last the Autumn?
posted by Matthew @ 9/17/2003 11:33:00 AM
Comments: 0
