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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Voters want politicians who listen to their basic concerns | Voters want politicians who listen to their basic concerns |
| (8 days later) | |
| The people of Manchester Central have before them a unique opportunity to pass judgement not just on the state of their constituency, but on the state of Britain and our democracy as a whole. | The people of Manchester Central have before them a unique opportunity to pass judgement not just on the state of their constituency, but on the state of Britain and our democracy as a whole. |
| In electoral terms Manchester Central is perhaps most noticeable for having the lowest turnout of any constituency at the last election, so whilst it appears a staunch Labour seat, this doesn't seem an attachment held with any great enthusiasm (unsurprising given the levels of deprivation that remain even after 13 years of Labour rule.) | In electoral terms Manchester Central is perhaps most noticeable for having the lowest turnout of any constituency at the last election, so whilst it appears a staunch Labour seat, this doesn't seem an attachment held with any great enthusiasm (unsurprising given the levels of deprivation that remain even after 13 years of Labour rule.) |
| This voting history is undoubtedly also an indication of the wider malaise in British democracy and a result of the lack of any viable alternative. An alternative the People's Democratic Party now seeks to offer. | This voting history is undoubtedly also an indication of the wider malaise in British democracy and a result of the lack of any viable alternative. An alternative the People's Democratic Party now seeks to offer. |
| As candidate for the PDP I have to confess to not being a Mancunian and never having lived in this great northern city. No doubt I will be attacked as a carpet-bagger, but despite this I'm pretty sure what the major concerns of local electors are, and they aren't copyright law reform, unilateral nuclear disarmament or defending the Iranian Revolution. Indeed, there are few things more tragic than middle-class, left-liberal, 'intellectuals' attempting to speak for the northern working classes. | As candidate for the PDP I have to confess to not being a Mancunian and never having lived in this great northern city. No doubt I will be attacked as a carpet-bagger, but despite this I'm pretty sure what the major concerns of local electors are, and they aren't copyright law reform, unilateral nuclear disarmament or defending the Iranian Revolution. Indeed, there are few things more tragic than middle-class, left-liberal, 'intellectuals' attempting to speak for the northern working classes. |
| What concerns the people of Manchester, and ordinary people across the north of England, are unemployment, crime, lack of opportunity, housing, drugs, family breakdown and, yes, mass immigration. | What concerns the people of Manchester, and ordinary people across the north of England, are unemployment, crime, lack of opportunity, housing, drugs, family breakdown and, yes, mass immigration. |
| On immigration in particular, they want to be able to raise genuine and legitimate concerns about the effect of this on jobs, wages and their local communities without immediately being denounced by Labour and the liberal-left as 'bigoted'. | On immigration in particular, they want to be able to raise genuine and legitimate concerns about the effect of this on jobs, wages and their local communities without immediately being denounced by Labour and the liberal-left as 'bigoted'. |
| The PDP shares such concerns, and understands they are concerns based on resources, not race. | The PDP shares such concerns, and understands they are concerns based on resources, not race. |
| We believe the people of the north are crying out for an alternative to the tired, failed, and patronising politics of a Labour Party now staffed by career politicians with little understanding of the real world. That alternative is not offered by a Tory party dominated by millionaire ex-public schoolboys, a brand now as toxic in the the North of England as it has been for decades in Scotland. As for the Lib Dems - meh! | We believe the people of the north are crying out for an alternative to the tired, failed, and patronising politics of a Labour Party now staffed by career politicians with little understanding of the real world. That alternative is not offered by a Tory party dominated by millionaire ex-public schoolboys, a brand now as toxic in the the North of England as it has been for decades in Scotland. As for the Lib Dems - meh! |
| The PDP will be offering that alternative by running a full campaign in Manchester Central this November. Visit us online here. We believe the people of Manchester Central have the courage, vision and concern for our democracy to give that alternative a fair hearing. | The PDP will be offering that alternative by running a full campaign in Manchester Central this November. Visit us online here. We believe the people of Manchester Central have the courage, vision and concern for our democracy to give that alternative a fair hearing. |
| The Guardian Northerner is hoping to run posts by all candidates in the Manchester Central by-election which takes place on 15 November. We also welcome pieces by or about candidates and their parties during the campaign. | The Guardian Northerner is hoping to run posts by all candidates in the Manchester Central by-election which takes place on 15 November. We also welcome pieces by or about candidates and their parties during the campaign. |
| You can read Respect candidate Kate Hudson here. | You can read Respect candidate Kate Hudson here. |
| You can read Pirate Party candidate Loz Kaye here, and a second piece by him on Ancoats Dispensary here. | You can read Pirate Party candidate Loz Kaye here, and a second piece by him on Ancoats Dispensary here. |
| You can read Communist League candidate Peter Clifford here. | You can read Communist League candidate Peter Clifford here. |
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