General Election Result 2010 : Withington

2010 Result : Manchester Withington
John Leech (LD)                20110   45% +3%
Lucy Powell (Lab)             18216   40% -1%
Christopher Green (Con)     5005   11% +1%
Brian Candeland (Grn)           798     2% -2%
Robert Gutfreund-Walmsley
(UKIP)                                  698     2% +1%
Yasmin Zalzala (Ind)              147    <1% <1%
Marcus Farmer (Ind)               57     <1% <1%

Majority 1894 5% Turnout: 60% (+5%)
Liberal Democrats hold. Oh well, disappointment.

The vote was finally declared at around 0730h on Friday morning. Already had two sleep breaks, so much for predictions of 0300h and 0500h declarations. Twitter and #MEN2010 (Manchester Evening News) proved useful but the winner for bringing the actual local result went to BBC Radio Manchester live in the Town Hall.

Video : Lucy Powell

"YouFundMe is a non-partisan online fundraising solution built with the needs of Britain's fast-growing political campaigns in mind." That's what the website says. Here Lucy Powell has made an online video. It looks like it has been filmed in the Co-op Rooms HQ at Hardy Lane and those are the leaflets that are going out this week.

John on a Co-op Soapbox

Liked this photo posted on Twitpic by the Co-operative Party. It's veteran campaigner John Prescott stood on a Somerfield/Co-op crate delivering the message.

Posters, Billboards and Phone Boxes

The Conservatives are not running any election campaign in Manchester Withington, they will come a poor third in the polls. But spotted this election poster on a phone box on Burton Road in West Didsbury.

That's the down side of booking hundreds of sites across the country - the scattergun approach is often off target.

Almost every aspect of this General Election campaign is being documented somewhat happazedly somewhere. Electionchampion.com is logging billboards across the country from photos sent in by readers.

A site with better photos and more humour is the Facebook Group - Vandalised Conervative Billboards.

The Road Ahead Broadcast

Thanks to the YouTube we can watch the Labour Party Political Broadcast. No idea what the viewing figures for the Tv political broadcasts are, but the parties arn't going to give up that free air-time as long as somebody is watching. This week we've had mini dramas and animations. The earnest chap in a suit and a pipe behind the desk wanting to tell you "the facts" has long retired. If you want to see how it all started then have a shufti at Ramsey MacDonald & The National Government film (2 minutes) from 1931 - it's here on YouTube (where else?).

Your Vote Could Be Worth 0.851

"In Manchester Withington, one person does not really have one vote, they have the equivalent of 0.851 votes. The power of voters in this constituency is based on the probability of the seat changing hands and its size. While you might think that every vote counts equally, where you live in the UK has a huge effect on your power to influence the election."

Check Votepower. A word of caution, aparthy can give results you never wanted.

Labour Manifesto 2010 in Animation

Labour says "share our vision now by sharing our animated manifesto films with your friends". Good on the eyes and ears, a good all-round effort reports our critic.
You can download the manifesto (PDF) here.

Audio from the Co-op Party

Audioboo is an application to publish short audio interviews from your mobile phone. The Co-operative Party is on the act. Why not? Cos you can.
Check the sound here.

Leaflet Monitoring

Elections are still fought on leaflets. Paper thru doors and who can get the best, most controversial, yet another reminder, only we can win....etc, & etc.

This site is collecting examples from whoever sends them in. In there is the below the belt scaremonger job - how about Tories can save you from being stabbed in the street - here.

Make A Mark

Lots of political images or potential posters at Make A Mark. Bit different from the usual cliche propaganda.

Local press coverage : Withington

Is this Day 3 or is Day 4, according to the Manchester Evening News it is Day 3. What is happening locally, or very locally what has come through the letterbox today.
a) Leaflet from Labour to their supporters and members
b) Leaflet from Lib-Dems announcing their local election candidate (3 pages), and a page on the General Election
c) A phone call from the Lib-Dems. Politely told them I don't for them.
d) Free newspaper as in picture above, and story below.
Battlefield Withington - South Manchester Reporter Thursday 8th April 2010.

Co-op Party in the General Election

"The Co-operative Party has launched a new campaigning manifesto, alongside profiles of the 42 Labour and Co-operative candidates who are standing for parliament in the election - the highest ever number of Co-op candidates fielded."
Details of candidates
Manifesto (PDF - with pictures)

General Election

At last it has been announced, it would have been a shock if it had been called for a date other that Thursday May 6th 2010.

If you want to follow Co-operative Party reaction, action and other news then the best place is on Twitter @ CoopParty. We'll bring some stories from the Withington Labour Campaign HQ, which is in the rooms above the Hardy Lane Co-op Store.

So, one month from now the electorate decide and by then we'll be worn down by the debates, accusations, leaflets through doors, counter-claims & etc...