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anorak?

in praise of superficiality and ignorance? maybe they are statues in someone's garden?

My personal views below -

Maybe voters thought why believe anything the Lib Dems or Labour put in their Manifesto's as they could choose to break these election promises after being elected ?

There does seem to be a perception out here these two parties did Not honor their respective 2005 manifestos promises over the EU Treaty issue ?

But hay , maybe this has nothing to do with their poor showings .

The question that cries to be asked, and clearly wasn't by Michael Crick when he strolled the streets of Henly, is why this Labour Government is in such a parlous state. Why is that, for the good folk of Henly, the BNP and the Green Party are considered worthier of electoral support than Brown's Labour party ?

It may be that some people find it impossible to vote for someone whose Party leader engages in fingernail chewing or has a dour expression. And perhaps some people judge their political parties, not on their policies, but on their fund-raising capabilities.

But I suspect that the Labour Party is in the doldrums because the Labour Government is now generally perceived to be worse than useless. It has spent to excess on public services and yet the results in such areas as Education and Health have been less than impressive: it has sent young men and women to fight in foreign lands, but has not provided them with the right equipment to protect themselves in combat and the treatment of their loved ones left at home - the standard of houses offered to service men's families, the miserable pay etc - is truly disgraceful: it boasts of being tough on terrorism, and reinforces this claim by resorting to illiberal measures such as the 42 day nonsense, but then allows terrorists, rapist and murderers from foreign lands to remain in Britain instead of being deported. And it cannot be trusted to tell the truth or keep its promises:- the Iraq lies and the reneging on the Lisbon treaty being just two examples of its perfidy.

The list of failures and broken promises is there for all to see. And if Michael Crick has bothered to ask the Henly voters, I have no doubt they would have told him so.

I think Michael is right - it was worse for the Lib Dems than Labour.

I suspect that the tactics weren't right and that may cloak whether or not he is making headway.

Given the harshness of the Lib Dem senior ranks over the last three years I think he had better be making progress.

For Labour I think it shows three things.

1. They are bust
2. The "Crewe emergency budget" had no effect. Trust is damaged.
3. They have a massive problem with activists. 10p and 42 Days - before Iraq is even considered - must have wasted their reserves. Unless there is radical change I am not convinced we won't see the kind of political meltdown never seen before.

When I heard that Labour had been beaten by both the greens and the BNP, I laughed out loud.

Labour's humiliation was well deserved. Nobody trusts Labour any more, least of all the white working class. And the middle class have returned to the Tories as they know full well that a vote for the Lib Dems is effectively a vote for Labour in the event of a hung Parliament at the next General Election. The Tories need a big lead for a working majority next time and all the signs are looking very good indeed for them.

It is not surprising that Labour came 5th. They have created such a mess that people have lost all faith and any respect for them. I remember when Nick Griffin was envited on to Newsnight. He spoke with sensitivity and common sence. I suspect a large majority of the British public would like to see The British National Party gain a few seats so that their policies are implimented. The situation is very serious. People want want change and are no longer prepared to trust any Labour front bench Minister to deliver it.