Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

But::::::::

PS,

How many votes and what was the % of votes for the tories in Oldham?

======

found :

Labour has comfortably won its first parliamentary byelection since Jeremy Corbyn became leader, storming ahead of Ukip by more than 10,000 votes in Oldham West and Royton in Greater Manchester.

Jim McMahon, the 35-year-old leader of Oldham council, will swap the town hall for Westminster after persuading 17,209 people to vote for him. Turnout was 40.26%, down from 59.6% at the general election in May, but not an embarrassment on a very rainy Thursday in December. McMahon increased Labour’s share of the vote to 62.27%, up 7.49%.

Live Corbyn: Jim McMahon's Oldham win is a 'vote of confidence' in Labour – live
Rolling coverage of reaction to Labour’s Jim McMahon winning the Oldham West and Royton byelection, with Jeremy Corbyn planning a visit to celebrate his victory
Read more

Ukip’s John Bickley, a Cheshire-based businessman, was runner-up, on 6,487. It was his fourth second place in Greater Manchester in less than two years, having lost out to Labour in byelections in Wythenshawe and Sale East in February 2014 and Heywood and Middleton in October 2015, failing again there in May’s general election.

The Conservatives were third on 2,596. The Liberal Democrats 1,024, the Greens 249. The Monster Raving Loony party were last, on 141.

In a statement McMahon said: “I am delighted to have been elected tonight. Michael Meacher was a close friend of mine and he was admired by people across the country as someone who worked tirelessly for the causes he believed in. I will do my best to live up to those high standards.


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I suppose the tories were considered a better choice than the Monster Raving Loony party.


JUST.

Good ol postal votes, they'll win it every time...



Farage's Fury Over Oldham By-Election Result

Labour dismisses a claim that postal voting was "bent", saying there is "nothing wrong" with people not supporting UKIP.




Nigel Farage wrote a furious tweet about the Oldham West and Royton by-election - even before the result had been declared.


As candidates were told about the outcome behind closed doors, the UKIP leader tweeted: "As a veteran of over 30 by-elections, I have never seen such a perverse result.

"Serious questions need to be asked."

Mr Farage later claimed he had evidence from an "impeccable source" that postal voting was "bent".

According to Sky's Political Editor Faisal Islam, UKIP supporters were "angry and annoyed" as the votes were counted.



http://news.sky.com/story/1599586/farages-fury-over-oldham-by-election-result

49 votes from one address?

Was Oldham's tory party HQ's address?


8-)

Although I don't vote I have an antipathy to postal voting, unless on it is based on medical incapacity grounds.

I don't see how one can avoid the possibility of abuse of the system.

-=-=-==

But in comparison with abuses by manipulation of media outlets and overseas funding, in practice the distortion are probably be small.

Manipulation is all around us Fred, you are quite right! (all sides)

But this postal vote lark is outright fraud.

The Oldhm election means very little. The winnr was a popular local chap. The Corbyn faction tried to impose a hard left candidate on the local constituency party but he was rejected and the local boy as chosen. If anything it was a message to Corbyn that moderates are more likely to win.

spin it any way you like, but labour increased its % of the vote and tories lost a similar %
i agree it doesn't tell anyone a great deal,but the above are indisputable facts

Quick Hays, down to tory party central office for the latest Lynton Crosby spin.

Suggest you look at known facts and not unrealistic hopeful wish.

-====--=

Max.

Getting around the "need" for postal or internet voting and avoiding possible fraud is difficult.

Quick Hays, down to tory party central office for the latest Lynton Crosby spin.

Suggest you look at known facts and not unrealistic hopeful wish.

-====--=

Max.

Getting around the "need" for postal or internet voting and avoiding possible fraud is difficult.

Quick Hays, down to tory party central office for the latest Lynton Crosby spin.

Suggest you look at known facts and not unrealistic hopeful wish.

-====--=

Max.

Getting around the "need" for postal or internet voting and avoiding possible fraud is difficult.

.

But I feel the press and some politicians, stoked by the press and media are hysterical at the moment.

I think the politicians should step back and reconsider what they are saying rather resorting to emotional hype.

Hilary Benn for Labour leader then ..

The election was a blow to Corbyn. Meacher was a Corbyn supporter. The guy who won is on the right of the party and more like a Blairite.

He seems a decent chap and popular with the voters but he will need to perform wonders if he is going to change the hell hole that is Oldham.
2517

don't be even more of an ass than usual hays!
the labour chap who won was the only labour candidate standing!

Manuel.

Hays went to the Bullingdon Club in mistake for tory Central Office.

Lynton will have to put him on a shorter dog lead.