Comments on: Is this the end of the BNP in Sandwell? http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/ Politics, music and football from Bearwood resident David Nikel Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:44:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Bill M http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-3105 Bill M Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:06:04 +0000 http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-3105 As a Lib Dem supporter living in Sandwell, I am also encouraged by the Princes End result ... or at least the fact that the BNP has lost ground. One thing that is important for any Lib Dem progress in Sandwell is that voting for us must not be seen as opening the door to the BNP. Shifting the BNP off the first or second spot helps in this. (I worried a bit about voting Lib Dem in my local ward, as I knew that the BNP were (and are) in second place, recently polling more than the Conservatives and Lib Dems combined.) As a Lib Dem supporter living in Sandwell, I am also encouraged by the Princes End result … or at least the fact that the BNP has lost ground. One thing that is important for any Lib Dem progress in Sandwell is that voting for us must not be seen as opening the door to the BNP. Shifting the BNP off the first or second spot helps in this. (I worried a bit about voting Lib Dem in my local ward, as I knew that the BNP were (and are) in second place, recently polling more than the Conservatives and Lib Dems combined.)

]]> By: drug fact http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-3011 drug fact Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:11:35 +0000 http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-3011 Guess what? Your blog is amazing! I can't remember when was the last time i've overcome such a good blog that almost all articles/posts were interesting and wouldn't regret spending my time reading it. I hope you will keep up the great work you are doing here and i can enjoy my everyday read at your blog. Guess what? Your blog is amazing! I can’t remember when was the last time i’ve overcome such a good blog that almost all articles/posts were interesting and wouldn’t regret spending my time reading it. I hope you will keep up the great work you are doing here and i can enjoy my everyday read at your blog.

]]> By: Chris Black http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2989 Chris Black Sat, 08 Dec 2007 10:17:45 +0000 http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2989 David, coming from a place where we have 'one stronghold area' but also have severe problems finding candidates elsewhere , I can appreciate your situation. Just don't give up.... As for anonymous' comment about setting up a website , I would recommend it. When we were down to just 4 district councillors, we set up two sites - a small official site, and an unofficial blog - www.onlinefocus.org. Despite being under a lot of Tory pressure, we've held on to those 4 and now gained an extra seat. It does help us - if you would like to discuss it with me , drop me an email. David, coming from a place where we have ‘one stronghold area’ but also have severe problems finding candidates elsewhere , I can appreciate your situation. Just don’t give up….

As for anonymous’ comment about setting up a website , I would recommend it. When we were down to just 4 district councillors, we set up two sites - a small official site, and an unofficial blog - http://www.onlinefocus.org. Despite being under a lot of Tory pressure, we’ve held on to those 4 and now gained an extra seat. It does help us - if you would like to discuss it with me , drop me an email.

]]> By: Anonymous http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2985 Anonymous Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:52:13 +0000 http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2985 I think that for a local party it is always, if possible, a good idea to put up a website. Strong local parties naturally usually have one, but I think that the weak ones need it even more. If the resources are limited, that's the easiest way to reach for the like-minded people in your area and hopefully become stronger. I can't find a website of the Sandwell Liberal Democrats. Do they have one, and if not, have you considered to get one? I think that for a local party it is always, if possible, a good idea to put up a website. Strong local parties naturally usually have one, but I think that the weak ones need it even more. If the resources are limited, that’s the easiest way to reach for the like-minded people in your area and hopefully become stronger.

I can’t find a website of the Sandwell Liberal Democrats. Do they have one, and if not, have you considered to get one?

]]> By: John http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2978 John Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:54:19 +0000 http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2978 Yep, defeating the BNP is one thing we can all agree is a massive success I think! Yep, defeating the BNP is one thing we can all agree is a massive success I think!

]]> By: Robin Young http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2977 Robin Young Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:14:35 +0000 http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2977 Well, David, I wish you well for the future - and an advance of Liberal Democracy in Sandwell. I am from Camden where we have so large and various an immigrant population that we are actually seemingly immune from the BNP - but I have in previous times confrionted the BNP (or its predecessor parties) in Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Barking and Dagenham. All the best, ry. Well, David, I wish you well for the future - and an advance of Liberal Democracy in Sandwell. I am from Camden where we have so large and various an immigrant population that we are actually seemingly immune from the BNP - but I have in previous times confrionted the BNP (or its predecessor parties) in Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Barking and Dagenham. All the best, ry.

]]> By: Bob Piper http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2976 Bob Piper Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:54:25 +0000 http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2976 We may have had different views on the tactic of the Lib Dems standing, David, but we can both agree on that final sentiment. I think you are also right about the gap left by Martyn. We may have had different views on the tactic of the Lib Dems standing, David, but we can both agree on that final sentiment. I think you are also right about the gap left by Martyn.

]]> By: David Nikel http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2973 David Nikel Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:32:50 +0000 http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2973 Robin, you don't say where you're from, but I assume it's not local to Sandwell. This by-election needs to be put into the context of this borough. We have a very small local party (which has already been merged from two even smaller ones), with VERY limited resources. So much so that in May, we couldn't even put up a full slate of 24 candidates. In May, we could not stand a candidate in this ward. A few months ago the longest serving Liberal councillor on Sandwell Council passed away. He did a tremendous amount for the group and the loss has hit us hard. All our efforts are going into defending his seat and retaining our sole stronghold in the borough. This is a by-election victory for Labour yes, but far more importantly than that the BNP have been firmly shoved into third place, from a winning position only 18 months ago. I cannot overstate how important this result is. I am a determined Liberal Democrat but even I can realise where my time is best spent in the grand scheme of things. Promoting a Liberal Democrat candidate with zero chance of winning in an area we have never worked in, OR supporting the anti-fascist movement? I chose the latter, and if you lived here with the threat of the BNP on your doorstep, you would understand why. Robin, you don’t say where you’re from, but I assume it’s not local to Sandwell. This by-election needs to be put into the context of this borough. We have a very small local party (which has already been merged from two even smaller ones), with VERY limited resources. So much so that in May, we couldn’t even put up a full slate of 24 candidates. In May, we could not stand a candidate in this ward.

A few months ago the longest serving Liberal councillor on Sandwell Council passed away. He did a tremendous amount for the group and the loss has hit us hard. All our efforts are going into defending his seat and retaining our sole stronghold in the borough.

This is a by-election victory for Labour yes, but far more importantly than that the BNP have been firmly shoved into third place, from a winning position only 18 months ago. I cannot overstate how important this result is.

I am a determined Liberal Democrat but even I can realise where my time is best spent in the grand scheme of things. Promoting a Liberal Democrat candidate with zero chance of winning in an area we have never worked in, OR supporting the anti-fascist movement? I chose the latter, and if you lived here with the threat of the BNP on your doorstep, you would understand why.

]]> By: Robin Young http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2972 Robin Young Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:19:36 +0000 http://davidnikel.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-bnp-in-sandwell/#comment-2972 David, I though I was irrepressibly cheerful but you really take the biscuit. Finding cause to rejoice in a by-election where we get 29 votes is priceless. OK - those 29 people wanted to vote Lib Dem, but on even the bleakest polling forecasts there simply must be more people out there who would have been quite prepared to vote Lib Dem had they had any idea the Lib Dems were standing. Always stand a candidate is a good motto. Always support the candidate with a serious bit of campaigning seems to be even better. David, I though I was irrepressibly cheerful but you really take the biscuit. Finding cause to rejoice in a by-election where we get 29 votes is priceless. OK - those 29 people wanted to vote Lib Dem, but on even the bleakest polling forecasts there simply must be more people out there who would have been quite prepared to vote Lib Dem had they had any idea the Lib Dems were standing. Always stand a candidate is a good motto. Always support the candidate with a serious bit of campaigning seems to be even better.

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