Wednesday 4 May 2011

Placardgate,Shows Labour think they own our votes.

The Outcry over Placardgate where  CaerphillyLabour MP Wayne David has accused  (well he admits it actually) of removing Plaid placards from peoples gardens in the Caerphilly constituency been interesting
According to the Wester Mail
A resident of Bargoed in the constituency claimed Mr David had knocked on her door on Saturday and told her that neighbours found the Plaid placard in her garden “offensive”. He also suggested it was “illegal”.“I didn’t want any trouble and let him take it away,” said the resident, who did not wish to be named.At the time she had not recognised Mr David, but later identified him from a photograph on his website. Other sightings of Mr David with Plaid placards and stakes have also been reported to the police.
The BBC report however( which at times reads like a Labour Party Press) statement accuses Plaid of  illegally placing these placards in peoples gardens.  I don't believe thisis deliberate  bias on behalf of the BBC towards Labour but more likely lazy journalism as they copy the Labour press release without bothering to ask questions.

Because if I woke up and found a Party placard in my garden without their position I would have taken it down and I woiuld have complained to that party and rang the press to expose this. Where are the people in the Rhymney valley who have done so?

What seems to me to be the True story in Wayne Davids claim that

 “There has been a disproportionately large number of Plaid stakes put up in the Rhymney Valley.".

What I think he means is that houses that he thinks should naturally vote Labour have a Paid Placard in their Garden. It reflects the Hubris amongst Labour members that they have the natural right to the support of working class people and their anger when sometimes these people rebel and show their support for another party.

This has been evident over the years as they have ignored the working class in favour of that electorate labeled "Middle England" whilst still claiming the support of the Working class particularly in Wales

In this they have been aided by the Trade Unions who have spent the last 13 years of a centre right "New Labour government under Tony Blair   making very little objection to the fact that it made few attempts to imptove workers rights and conditions (What there has seems to have come from the European Union) but now with the ComLib government which is imposing more or less the same cuts as Labour would have the leaders have found their voices,

In recent months the Labour controlled RCT council have behaved appallingly to their workforce  and have been condemned by these workers Trade Unions ,and yet virtually every Trade union Office in the Pontypridd, Rhondda and Cynon Valley consistency are bedecked with posters in support of th local Labour candidate. None of who have condemned the actions of RCT but who would have been screaming from the rooftops if Plaid were still in control and made even modest cuts in the workers conditions.

To my my mind Plaid have still not campaigned on working class issues enough to deserve a complete switch of loyalty from working class support but it the absence of any other serious option  it would be no surprise if some do.

What is clear that Labour party treat such support they receive from such quarters as merely cannon fodder to go out and vote blindly for candidates who will do nothing for them  whilst courting the swing votes of whatever passes for "Middle England" here and will continue to do so until there is a clear and lasting switch in this vote,

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The activity of ‘placard bandits’ at election time is nothing new. There have been many occasions at elections over the years when placards have disappeared and accusation and counter accusation have flown between the warring parties. This is particularly true during hard fought campaigns.

However, in this case, it’s particularly sad to see a senior and respectable politician becoming involved in an argument about disappearing placards.

Even if these placards had been placed in gardens without permission, which seem extremely unlikely, why is this something that a Member of Parliament needs to involve himself with directly.

Aren’t there more important things he should be concentrating on during this difficult time when government cuts are hitting the communities he represents in Parliament.

Does he believe he’s fighting a one-man crusade against what he claims to be the unauthorised display of political placards (or just Plaid Cymru) and his vigilante antics are acceptable behaviour in a democratic society.

More likely he’s a Labour ‘desperado’ who doesn’t like this visual reminder that Labour is no longer the only ‘sheriff’ in town.