大象传媒

Who's the Llanelli Lib Dem who's been deselected? I live in Llanelli and was even considering standing for Llanelli in the Assembly elections so I consider myself more politically aware than most.

I would not have known that they have even selected a candidate if I hadn't checked their web site so what chance do most people have of knowing who is offering themselves to the electorate?

By the way, the said candidate (Sam Samuels) is still listed on the Welsh Lib Dem web site as their Llanelli candidate at the time of writing - what's going on?

As above Betsan, I hope the Boring Broadcasting Corporation, and its political editors and commentators, won't make the same mistake it made in 2003 by virtually ignoring the smaller Parties in this election.

In your opening shot you have failed totally to mention the important part that can, and hopefully will, be played in this election by the 'professional independents' and the minor Parties.

Given what seems to be a mixture of serial apathy and/or disgust with the status quo, the political commentators owe it to the electorate to show that there are various interesting alternatives out there other than 'none of the above'!

Betsan is right to suggest that this is a very unpredictable election. Differential turn out will be a big factor. In Clwyd West where I live, I rather think the incumbent Alun Pugh will keep the seat. The opposition candidates don't seem to be making much of an impression. Things might be different if Brinley Williams had done what Helen Mary Jones has done and plumped for this seat and not the list.It must be a difficult time being a Labour candidate. But as someone who was critical of Welsh Labour(when I was in Parliament) I do think they've made quite a good fist of it over the last 4 years under difficult circs. The Assembly is beginning to justify the faith of all those who campaigned passionately for it.