With only a day of campaigning to go before election day, Cneifiwr has yet to hear from his Conservative & Unionist Party candidate, Henrietta Hensher. He had been wondering whether Zip the sheepdog or Ianto, the randy ram, had kept her at bay, but it seems that nobody else has heard from her either. Not even a leaflet.
It is not uncommon for parties to field what are known as "paper" candidates: no-hopers who don't campaign much or at all. There are various reasons for doing this, including keeping the party flame alive in the hope of better times, or to give some young, aspiring party member a taste of grown-up politics.
In previous elections young Henrietta has gone out full of optimism that she could convert the natives to the Conservative cause, only to see her hopes dashed.
Perhaps she's given up, or perhaps she's just hoping that one day Central Office will give her a go at a seat in Surrey if she just keeps standing at election after election.
Who knows? But by standing in Cenarth ward without actively contesting the seat, the Tories have forced an election, and the taxpayer has not even got a leaflet or a chance to debate local issues with her (always entertaining, if cruel).
Cneifiwr would be interested to hear from anyone else in Carmarthenshire about any of the 17 Tory candidates standing. Are they all as invisible as Hattie?
17 comments:
Here in Llandeilo/Dyffren Cennen where we have four candidates (1 Plaid, 1 Tory, 2 "Independents") I have been canvassed/leafleted by all of them EXCEPT the Tory... I did actually spot him on a street corner in Llandeilo one day wearing a rosette, but I was on the other side of the street and in a hurry, and he has not ventured up this way to shove anything through my letterbox yet...
Token Effort by Mr Frost , a few leaflets , a broadcast by a frightfully nice chap extolling rationalisation & cutting waste but no presence !! So why bothere
Diolch am hyn, Cneifiwr. Heblaw am dy Hattie di, mae 5 Tori arall wedi sefyll yn erbyn un ymgeisydd poblogaidd arall yng Ngheredigion a Sir Gâr.
The following other Tories have the proverbial snowball's chance of getting elected in the 2-candidate elections they've forced:
Syed M. Hasan, Cynwyl Gaeo (versus Plaid incumbent)
C. R. O. Newcombe, Aberystwyth - Bronglias (versus Plaid incumbent)
Luke Evetts, New Quay (versus Independent incumbent)
Jane Kelsey, Llandyfriog (versus Plaid incumbent)
William Evetts, Llandisiliogogo (versus Independent incumbent)
By the way, a third member of the family Evetts, Lauren, is contesting Ciliau Aeron against the Plaid incumbent and the Lib Dem. Gobaith caneri!
I suspect they're just keeping the blue flag flying.
Obviously David has sent a message down to the loyal troops , go out and irate the populace with the promise of more Tory years . A winning line!!!!
The night before election day 2 years ago when Hazel Evans of Plaid thrashed Ms Hensher in Cenarth ward after the death of Cllr Haydn Jones, we were phoned by the Tory candidate's campaign team asking for our vote.They foolishly must have thought they had a chance. This time they must know they don't and won't even waste the cost of a phone call....unless of course they might want to enquire as to the price of milk....
Things are slightly different in Cilycwm ward with the Tory boy swamping voters with two leaflets and a 'personalised' letter to each elector, money it seems, is no object. He hasn't actually been seen very much which is probably because he works in London all week. I hear Caebrwyn, who is also standing, was a little concerned about his use of her photo of the council chamber on glossy leaflet number one and him claiming copyright on it; the Tory offered to make amends by offering a donation to a charity of her choice after the poll...typical graceless Tory, buy your way out of anything.
I can't understand the fuss. I'd be more worried if the Tories were active, out and about, with big, confident smiles on their faces.
Thanks Jac - certainly a valid point, although you have to wonder why the Tories, who like to portray themselves as the taxpayers' friend, would force elections in quite a few wards without actually intending to actively contest them, thereby lumbering the rest of us with tens of thousands of pounds of costs for an utterly pointless exercise.
Letter from Mr Frost to the Voters of Llandeilo
" I have been absolutely delighted with the response I have received from local people to my positive campaign. I have met hundreds of residents who have promised me their support which has been very encouraging ". Mr Frost who has not been seen in Llandeilo apart from the Cake factory must have seen these people on Planet Fantasy or figment of his mind - bless him !! In Llandeilo it will be close but i suspect Anthony will be bottom of the pile but it will be the result he deserves after all the hard work he has put in
Tory candidate in Penygroes when spoken to by a resident in Welsh replied " I don't" and walked away!
They may get more votes if they don't canvass!
@ Anon 2 May 2012 18:42
Mind you, Juliana, bless her, did garner 306 Tory votes last time around in Llandeilo. Who's to say Mr Frost isnt't as popular as the former Liberal?
wish some other councillors would pack up and disappear.
latest new from the ammanford/madge camp is in today's carmarthen journal. a councillor said there are no bins.
"If you walk all the way from New Road, through the centre of town and to Tirydail, you will not find one bin,"
a councillor who was uncontested.
funny how there are 2 bins in new road. plus another one across the road a few yards up. then there are a few in the town centre itself in quay street. and in wind street.
i do not understand why this was mentioned in the council meeting. it doesn't seem that any town councillor had contested this bizarre claim, unless they haven't a clue themselves as well what is what in the town they are meant to represent.
if they haven't a clue about matters such as these, heaven help us all when highly critical matters arise. (a2)
I do wonder if the number of Tory candidates in the Tywi Valley is part of some master plan by Simon Hart in preparation for the next general election. The boundary changes will probably force him to stand against Jonathan Edwards in a new Carmarthen seat making it a Plaid Tory contest.
Ces i llythyr o Anthony Frost ddoe -- yn y post! Pam talu arian i anfon pethan???! A oedd y llythyr dim ond yn Saesneg!!!
shouldn't south pembrokeshire be joined with pembrokeshire? i could never understand the principle of south pembs and west carmarthenshire. besides the obvious point that they are two seperate geographical counties. keep pembrokeshire inside pembrokeshire so we all know where we are...
if newcastle em is in the west, how come it's represented by the east? then again it'll be in newcastle em's interests to be under plaid and away from the tory??
funnily enough it wasn't that long ago when ammanford was under Llanelli constituency, which doesn't really solve anything because the next village 2 miles away was under carmarthenshire.
maybe they joined south pembs onto west carms so that they could benefit from 'swansea bay'?? if that's the case, it's like south pembs saying to north pembs sod you we're off. just where does a 'border stop'. if it is analyzed, carmarthenshire political map should't be absolved into swansea bay at all because it is seperated by llanelli and pembrey. then again not all parts of llanelli and pembrey are on the bay to speak. god knows why they call it swansea bay area. cardiff could have fun and call theirs bristol channel area and swamp the lot ;-) (anon2)
@ Anon 3 May 2012 14:38
The Boundary Commission master plan for the 2015 General Election is to create 2 Carmarthenshire constituencies:
"Caerfyrddin" will be the whole of the former Carmarthen District (except Cenarth ward), as well as the whole of the former Dinefwr Borough.
"Llanelli" will be the whole of the former Llanelli Borough, as well as the former Lliw Valley wards of Gorseinon, Llangyfelach, Penlle'r-gaer, Penyrheol and Pontarddulais.
Y Cneifiwr's beloved Cenarth ward will suffer Anschluss to Ceredigion and North Pembs. I suppose Newcastle Emlyn will be the leaven in the Cardiganshire lump?
Somehow I don't think the LibDems in Ceredigion will be very keen on getting Cenarth with its nest of Plaid voters.
Of course, if we were being invited to become a part of Ceredigion, that would be a different story. But would Ceredigion want us?
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