tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post4574830142240352012..comments2024-01-23T16:53:02.428+00:00Comments on Mark Thompson: Tory Bear in hyperbole shockerMark Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00744387583593537268noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-87102437930667438842009-10-27T20:26:55.402+00:002009-10-27T20:26:55.402+00:00OK fair call that wasn't relevant. Willys away...OK fair call that wasn't relevant. Willys away.<br /><br />Was trying to pointing out that it hasn't actually increased involvement as roughly the same number of people signed up for the mailing list (and in this case membership as well) as did last year and the same number of people go to their events as did last year hence my argument that it was a waste of money.Tory Outcasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06764331899206941164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-60300459325575140522009-10-27T17:19:03.186+00:002009-10-27T17:19:03.186+00:00Back to the point, however, I agree that the l'...Back to the point, however, I agree that the l'il bear cries wolf a bit too much. He needs to take a few more lessons from Guido - who remembers the things Guido predicts but gets wrong? No-one, because he does it so well, and doesn't go out on a limb in the hoping of scoring a small point in the interim. He goes for the big kill. TB sells his stuff as being momentous all the time. When he actually does get hold of something big, he'll have dissipated his credibility.Alixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08579998688536737861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-251830442132886742009-10-27T17:08:51.155+00:002009-10-27T17:08:51.155+00:00I couldn't care less whether the Lib Dems did ...I couldn't care less whether the Lib Dems did better than Labour or the Tories in terms of recruitment in York. The important thing is we almost certainly did better than we would have done and I see that as a good thing.<br /><br />i don't understand why these things always seem to descend into partisan willy waving contests. The net result is more young people are likely to be engaged with politics which is a great outcome, whoever "wins".Mark Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00744387583593537268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-722552747296807952009-10-27T17:01:52.699+00:002009-10-27T17:01:52.699+00:00Well perhaps but all the societies offer a "s...Well perhaps but all the societies offer a "sign up to the mailing list option" and a "membership option".<br /><br />For the Tories at least the membership option comes with national party membership a few extra bits of tat and cheaper entrance to any ticketed events. <br /><br />However if you are not a member this is no barrier to turning up to events.<br /><br />All the Lib Dems have done is combine the two options. In this respect they actually still did much worse than Tories and Labour.Tory Outcasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06764331899206941164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-43532764516380290952009-10-27T16:30:02.654+00:002009-10-27T16:30:02.654+00:00Well I don't know the ins and outs of the exac...Well I don't know the ins and outs of the exact numbers in this case but I would suggest that in general in these sort of cases, some of the members who joined, perhaps because it was easy to do and free, may decide to go along to one or two of the social events. They may end up chatting to like-minded people (I am guessing they are of a liberal persuasion or they wouldn't have joined), like what they hear and through that get more involved.<br /><br />It might only be a few of those extra who joined but I would suggest a subsidy of a few quid for the chance to get some more members is a worthwhile investment.Mark Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00744387583593537268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-12367305374835470792009-10-27T16:24:09.919+00:002009-10-27T16:24:09.919+00:00@Mark - Because it doesn't actually seem to ha...@Mark - Because it doesn't actually seem to have done anything to increase the numbers who go to their events and I presume they will find the same is true when they go campaigning.<br /><br />If someone is not bothered enough to pay a few quid they are really unlikely to turn out on a wet and windy Yorkshire morning to campaign.<br /><br />Is Madeline Kirk's (or people on her campaign team's) money so she can do what she wants with it but I fail to see how she gains anything from this.Tory Outcasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06764331899206941164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-55616478576275786752009-10-27T14:03:58.354+00:002009-10-27T14:03:58.354+00:00TO - Why is it a waste of money?TO - Why is it a waste of money?Mark Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00744387583593537268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-32159130064641068272009-10-27T14:00:10.033+00:002009-10-27T14:00:10.033+00:00@Stephen Glenn - At the risk of encouraging more s...@Stephen Glenn - At the risk of encouraging more smirking the Tories are by far the biggest of the three parties on the York Campus. The Lib Dems are something of an irrelevance especially compared to the other two parties.<br /><br />On the Bribery issue Ms Kirk seems to change her mind several times on whether or not she was a contributor but the general consensus seems to be that she was. Whether you think this is wrong or not is a matter of opinion. I just think it was a waste of money.Tory Outcasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06764331899206941164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-44269118652206601632009-10-27T13:36:48.296+00:002009-10-27T13:36:48.296+00:00Presumably, on this basis, the open primary in Tot...Presumably, on this basis, the open primary in Totnes is the biggest bribery scandal in the history of politics?James Graham (Quaequam Blog!)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00319089107820032874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-35700702497335065682009-10-27T13:35:03.919+00:002009-10-27T13:35:03.919+00:00Of course if the Conservatives spent less on Champ...Of course if the Conservatives spent less on Champagne and more on encouraging the next generation of young people into politics we'd have something to worry about. How many Universities now have the Lib Dems as the largest political society? How many of them are target seats?<br /><br />Double smirk to the above commenter.Stephen Glennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-2815064946801073462009-10-27T12:20:58.338+00:002009-10-27T12:20:58.338+00:00Smirk.Smirk.Harry Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05099597763862011749noreply@blogger.com