Sunday, February 03, 2008

Challenging Clarke

On Friday night I was honoured to have been selected at the new Conservative parliamentary candidate for Norwich South - it was a packed meeting, much larger than for the 2005 election and I have to say that the overall quality of candidate was very good and I hope that both Martin and Will go on to find good constituencies.

Everybody who wants to become an MP, I think, dreams of doing so in their home City. I live here, work here, my kids go to school here ... I have a real stake in this community and am dedicated to making it working better. Norwich is a fantastic City and, above all, I am going to run a positive campaign. I think that this City and its citizens are really going places and above all, I want to be a part of that; hopefully as our MP. I reserve the right to highlight failure and criticise, but when I do so I will always offer a positive alternative for people.

The Norwich Conservatives go from strength to strength locally; our canvass in Chapel Break, Bowthorpe, and also in Eaton yesterday show us that more people prefer a new Cameron Conservative government to the old failed Labour one under Brown. People weren't just anti-Labour but they were becoming pro-Conservative again.

Why is this? Because whilst we may getting richer as a City in material goods, there are still real concerns when two local High Schools are under OFSTED scrutiny, when our flagship hospital doesn't have enough beds and when anti-social behaviour still impacts on our estates. I've written in detail about my response to those problems here and I hope that when Cameron launches our manfiesto, it tackles those issues. And, before you ask, I won't be employing my wife or any other member of my family - mostly because the girls are too young to be of any real help and I don't think Louise would want to spend that amount of time with me!

So now's the time to get on with the job - I've got a campaign team to put together and a plan to create. I like to think I have shown the dedication to this City and have the experience to really make a difference. Given the positive reaction of friends in the City and party members, I think this may well be a really fun election to fight!

So Mr Clarke, who has this week been worrying about a Conservative revival, ought now to be worrying about the Conservative revival in his own back yard!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Antony. Congratulations. I think the next electron, that we were deprived by Brown in the Autumn, will be a fantastic time in South Norwich, debate, policy and democracy. As I see Norwich is blessed with 3 strong and able candidates in yourself, Clarke and Adrian Ramsay. The Lib Dem candidate is probably the wrong choice.

Clarke has served Norwich well, is hard working and has integrity, but since slipping from ministerial grace and at odds with Brown, looks tired and and on looker of government. His only route back is Brown out. He should be wooried about beentarred with the brush of a Brown government that is increasingly unpopular and has been on watch during 6 months of political funding scandals, Northern Rock, economic downturn and data loss scandals, with credit card cancellations and property devaluation looming.

Both yourself and Adrian Ramsay are both excellent candidates. Many voters might be put off voting Green at the ballet box though when they consider the nationalisation/ privatisation issues. Many voters don't like the nationalisation calls for railways and perhaps buses from the likes of Rupert Reid, which makes the Tax payer liable and will wastefully misdirect or stop investment. There are strong socialist core values in the Green Party, and whilst Adrian might be the more acceptable, articulate, youthful and well turned face of this; many voters might believe essentially voting Green is like buying Green House with a Red Interior! There are many voters who see green and socialism as incompatable and poor bed fellows at the ballet box.

Also Greens might be seen as politicans hell bent on reducing peoples quality of life, at any cost, to save us all from Climate Change, often with harse, puritanican or wacky policies as prescriptions; rather than smart adaptions in lifestyles or green technology investments but without reducing the quality and opportunities. We shall see.

Anonymous said...

Well Done Antony!

But - blast! Now I'm going to have to vote for you and not my beloved LibDems. Why don't you switch sides and make it easier for me?

Anyway, I'm really pleased for you and I'll get the garden ready for the poster!

Anonymous said...

Hearty congratulations Antony. You are the right man for the job and I am sure you would make an excellent parliamentary representative for the Fine City!

Andrew

P.S. Thanks again for showing me round in the summer.

Anonymous said...

Well done Antony; I agree with the first anon that the cuckoo-in-the-nest appears to be the LibDem candidate, who hasn't really taken off.

This seat has a great choice in yourself, Clarke and Ramsay and I hope that turnout reflects the real diversity in candidates.

Doing it 2nd time around shows dedication too.

Good Luck!

Anonymous said...

Super smashing great!

Just like the good old days!

Anonymous said...

Well done Anthony, wont be voting for you personaly, my vote will be going to Adrian Ramsay, but in you the Conservatives have selected a fantastic local campaigner of the centre-right, so well done to them,if I was a tory i'd be proud to vote for you.
Like others have said, Norwich South has been blessed with 3 great candidates in you, Adrian and Charles Clarke. Shame about the Lib Dem choice.
Norwich South will be a very interesting general election constituency, I can see it becoming a real 4-way marginal!
I feel a Labour hold may be on the cards with a Liberal decline (woo!).

PeteS

Anonymous said...

Whoa! Go Little! Well done old boy; good to be voting for you again!