Comments on: Welcome to Sir Cyril Townsend http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/01/28/welcome-to-sir-cyril-townsend-former-conservative-mp-for-bexleyheath/ Ming Campbell's campaign to lead the Liberal Democrats Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:09:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Andrew http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/01/28/welcome-to-sir-cyril-townsend-former-conservative-mp-for-bexleyheath/#comment-31 Mon, 30 Jan 2006 15:20:16 +0000 http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/01/28/welcome-to-sir-cyril-townsend-former-conservative-mp-for-bexleyheath/#comment-31 Maybe so but it’s a long time to keep this quite - like I said, re-heated old news. The fact that he signed your nomination papers shows, whether he was a member or not, that he was already a Lib Dem supporter well before today. As a word of advice David, I am not so sure whether parading defectors was such as Sir Cyril or John Lee was a good idea in the first place, nor was Hugh Dykes either. Remember Torridge and West Devon's past history with defectors. Emma Nicholson managed to make herself the most unpopular constituency MP *ever* when she defected - she upset a lot of people, both Conservative and Liberal voters alike. Bringing out people like Sir Cyril and John Lee probably only served to drive the voters further away from you David than before. I wouldn't try it again in Torridge if I were you. Maybe so but it’s a long time to keep this quite - like I said, re-heated old news. The fact that he signed your nomination papers shows, whether he was a member or not, that he was already a Lib Dem supporter well before today.

As a word of advice David, I am not so sure whether parading defectors was such as Sir Cyril or John Lee was a good idea in the first place, nor was Hugh Dykes either. Remember Torridge and West Devon’s past history with defectors. Emma Nicholson managed to make herself the most unpopular constituency MP *ever* when she defected - she upset a lot of people, both Conservative and Liberal voters alike. Bringing out people like Sir Cyril and John Lee probably only served to drive the voters further away from you David than before. I wouldn’t try it again in Torridge if I were you.

]]> by: David Walter http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/01/28/welcome-to-sir-cyril-townsend-former-conservative-mp-for-bexleyheath/#comment-30 Mon, 30 Jan 2006 12:34:43 +0000 http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/01/28/welcome-to-sir-cyril-townsend-former-conservative-mp-for-bexleyheath/#comment-30 The swing against us in Torridge and West Devon was in line with the average swing in seats where an incumbent was standing down and replaced by a new candidate. Unlike the others, there was not the cushion of a substantial majority to start with. Clearly in seats like this where we are facing the Conservatives, the support of former one nation Conservatives like Cyril is enormously helpful. Cyril only actually became a party member after the General Election. The swing against us in Torridge and West Devon was in line with the average swing in seats where an incumbent was standing down and replaced by a new candidate. Unlike the others, there was not the cushion of a substantial majority to start with. Clearly in seats like this where we are facing the Conservatives, the support of former one nation Conservatives like Cyril is enormously helpful. Cyril only actually became a party member after the General Election.

]]> by: Andrew http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/01/28/welcome-to-sir-cyril-townsend-former-conservative-mp-for-bexleyheath/#comment-28 Mon, 30 Jan 2006 11:08:32 +0000 http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/01/28/welcome-to-sir-cyril-townsend-former-conservative-mp-for-bexleyheath/#comment-28 Is this the same Cyril Townsend who lost the Conservative nomination for Bexleyheath & Crayford in 1997. Is it the same Cyril Townsend who nominated David Walter (who posted above) to stand for Parliament in Torridge and West Devon - effectively outing himself publically as a Lib Dem well before now? Is it the same Cyril Townsend who helped turn a Liberal Democrat majority of 1,194 into a Conservative one of 3,236? Just goes to show how rattled you are that you have to re-heat some old news like this. Wouldn't it have actually have been better to parade Sir Cyril rather than Brian Sedgemore during the general election, rather than now, when no one will take any notice? Is this the same Cyril Townsend who lost the Conservative nomination for Bexleyheath & Crayford in 1997. Is it the same Cyril Townsend who nominated David Walter (who posted above) to stand for Parliament in Torridge and West Devon - effectively outing himself publically as a Lib Dem well before now? Is it the same Cyril Townsend who helped turn a Liberal Democrat majority of 1,194 into a Conservative one of 3,236?

Just goes to show how rattled you are that you have to re-heat some old news like this. Wouldn’t it have actually have been better to parade Sir Cyril rather than Brian Sedgemore during the general election, rather than now, when no one will take any notice?

]]> by: Liberty Bell http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/01/28/welcome-to-sir-cyril-townsend-former-conservative-mp-for-bexleyheath/#comment-26 Sun, 29 Jan 2006 00:10:03 +0000 http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/01/28/welcome-to-sir-cyril-townsend-former-conservative-mp-for-bexleyheath/#comment-26 Great work, team-Ming. Great work, team-Ming.

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