This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/15/parties-target-undecided-female-voters-rochester-byelection
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Parties target undecided female voters in Rochester byelection campaign | Parties target undecided female voters in Rochester byelection campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A battle for the women of Rochester and Strood has begun between the Conservatives and Ukip, as polling suggests the existence of a large number of female voters undecided about who to back in next month’s byelection. | A battle for the women of Rochester and Strood has begun between the Conservatives and Ukip, as polling suggests the existence of a large number of female voters undecided about who to back in next month’s byelection. |
| Women are likely to prove crucial in deciding the outcome of the contest taking place on 20 November, which was triggered when Mark Reckless, the Kent constituency’s Tory MP, defected to Ukip. | Women are likely to prove crucial in deciding the outcome of the contest taking place on 20 November, which was triggered when Mark Reckless, the Kent constituency’s Tory MP, defected to Ukip. |
| According to polling by Survation, almost one in three women in the constituency have not made up their minds, and Ukip is suffering a gap in support among female voters; just 24% are in favour compared with 38% of men. | According to polling by Survation, almost one in three women in the constituency have not made up their minds, and Ukip is suffering a gap in support among female voters; just 24% are in favour compared with 38% of men. |
| The Tories believe they can exploit Ukip’s slimmer support among women by ensuring the two potential candidates are female and by allowing residents to make the final decision in a costly open primary vote that is expected to eat heavily into their election expenses. The party is throwing huge resources at the constituency, with Cameron likely to visit five times and a delegation of at least 30 MPs expected to descend on the area. | The Tories believe they can exploit Ukip’s slimmer support among women by ensuring the two potential candidates are female and by allowing residents to make the final decision in a costly open primary vote that is expected to eat heavily into their election expenses. The party is throwing huge resources at the constituency, with Cameron likely to visit five times and a delegation of at least 30 MPs expected to descend on the area. |
| At a hustings on Wednesday at Rochester’s historic Corn Exchange residents of the Kent constituency heard from two potential candidates, both councillors in the county: Kelly Tolhurst, who runs a marine survey firm, and Anna Firth, a barrister. | |
| The Conservatives banned national media from entering the event. But according to some residents present, Tolhurst pitched herself as “a local girl who just wants to make a difference”, who would not be afraid to tell Cameron exactly what the area needs. Firth presented herself as a mum-of-three who would “champion local issues”. | The Conservatives banned national media from entering the event. But according to some residents present, Tolhurst pitched herself as “a local girl who just wants to make a difference”, who would not be afraid to tell Cameron exactly what the area needs. Firth presented herself as a mum-of-three who would “champion local issues”. |
| Both described themselves as “eurosceptic” while backing the prime minister’s plan to renegotiate with Brussels and each said they would prioritise getting the area’s hospital out of special measures, improving schools and protecting the countryside from unsuitable development. | Both described themselves as “eurosceptic” while backing the prime minister’s plan to renegotiate with Brussels and each said they would prioritise getting the area’s hospital out of special measures, improving schools and protecting the countryside from unsuitable development. |
| Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative MP for Totnes, also spoke at the event about her experience of going from being a family doctor to politician through an open primary. | Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative MP for Totnes, also spoke at the event about her experience of going from being a family doctor to politician through an open primary. |
| Afterwards, she told reporters it was “wrong” that party officials had stopped the national press from directly reporting what the candidates had to say. | Afterwards, she told reporters it was “wrong” that party officials had stopped the national press from directly reporting what the candidates had to say. |
| “I think these things should be fully open to everybody but that’s not my choice,” she said. | “I think these things should be fully open to everybody but that’s not my choice,” she said. |
| Labour has also picked a female candidate, Naushabah Khan, a recent law graduate, although the party is trailing behind both Ukip and the Conservatives. | Labour has also picked a female candidate, Naushabah Khan, a recent law graduate, although the party is trailing behind both Ukip and the Conservatives. |
| Ukip’s leader, Nigel Farage, admitted last week that his party sometimes had a “rugby club atmosphere”. | Ukip’s leader, Nigel Farage, admitted last week that his party sometimes had a “rugby club atmosphere”. |
| However, canvassing outside a primary school in Strood, Reckless, pictured right, suggested the party’s lack of support among female voters had been overplayed; he said he was not specifically aiming at mothers. | However, canvassing outside a primary school in Strood, Reckless, pictured right, suggested the party’s lack of support among female voters had been overplayed; he said he was not specifically aiming at mothers. |
| “Women are more honest about saying they are undecided, whereas men are more inclined to say they definitely know what they are going to do. It’s a generalisation but women are more inclined to admit to uncertainty,” he said, arguing that issues such as the quality of hospitals, GP services and primary school standards were more important to women than the gender of the candidates. | “Women are more honest about saying they are undecided, whereas men are more inclined to say they definitely know what they are going to do. It’s a generalisation but women are more inclined to admit to uncertainty,” he said, arguing that issues such as the quality of hospitals, GP services and primary school standards were more important to women than the gender of the candidates. |
| The reaction from passersby was mixed. While the school lollipop lady wanted his autograph on a Ukip leaflet, and several people voiced their support for his defection, Reckless did not appear to be getting the same kind of solid following enjoyed in the Clacton byelection by his fellow former Conservative and new Ukip MP, Douglas Carswell. | The reaction from passersby was mixed. While the school lollipop lady wanted his autograph on a Ukip leaflet, and several people voiced their support for his defection, Reckless did not appear to be getting the same kind of solid following enjoyed in the Clacton byelection by his fellow former Conservative and new Ukip MP, Douglas Carswell. |
| About half were declining to take one of his leaflets, but Reckless said that at came with the job, adding: “If I had been doing this for the Conservatives, a far smaller proportion would have taken leaflets.” | About half were declining to take one of his leaflets, but Reckless said that at came with the job, adding: “If I had been doing this for the Conservatives, a far smaller proportion would have taken leaflets.” |
| Only a couple had questions for him. One woman was worried about the extended pay freeze for NHS workers, and a mother wanted to know about Ukip’s policy for working single parents. | Only a couple had questions for him. One woman was worried about the extended pay freeze for NHS workers, and a mother wanted to know about Ukip’s policy for working single parents. |
| Asked about the insults thrown his way by David Cameron, who is said to have made a jibe about his “fat arse”, Reckless said he was saddened rather than angry as, he said, politics should be more about an exchange of ideas than personal attacks. | Asked about the insults thrown his way by David Cameron, who is said to have made a jibe about his “fat arse”, Reckless said he was saddened rather than angry as, he said, politics should be more about an exchange of ideas than personal attacks. |
| Despite an overall lead in opinion polls, of around eight points, Reckless was modest about his hopes of winning, describing it as a “fighting chance”. If he did succeed, he said, more defections from the Tories would follow, motivated “more out of self-preservation” than conscience. | Despite an overall lead in opinion polls, of around eight points, Reckless was modest about his hopes of winning, describing it as a “fighting chance”. If he did succeed, he said, more defections from the Tories would follow, motivated “more out of self-preservation” than conscience. |
| Among female voters shopping on the cobbled Rochester high street, many were critical of their former MP and undecided between the Conservatives and Labour, rather than tempted by Ukip. | Among female voters shopping on the cobbled Rochester high street, many were critical of their former MP and undecided between the Conservatives and Labour, rather than tempted by Ukip. |
| Helena McKeown, 56, had voted Labour in the past but was considering the Tories in order to help keep out Reckless. | Helena McKeown, 56, had voted Labour in the past but was considering the Tories in order to help keep out Reckless. |
| “I agree with one Rochester resident who said he thought Mark Reckless was a gluttering snodgripe,” she said. “I think the Labour representative is a young woman and I think she would be quite good to vote for. But at the moment I think I will wait to see how things go. I’m going to be trying to vote to make sure Reckless doesn’t get in. I most certainly could vote for the Conservatives.” | “I agree with one Rochester resident who said he thought Mark Reckless was a gluttering snodgripe,” she said. “I think the Labour representative is a young woman and I think she would be quite good to vote for. But at the moment I think I will wait to see how things go. I’m going to be trying to vote to make sure Reckless doesn’t get in. I most certainly could vote for the Conservatives.” |
| Another shopper, 31-year-old Kirsty Gibbons, said she thought Reckless had let his party down and the fact that he had sparked an expensive byelection was not not acceptable. | Another shopper, 31-year-old Kirsty Gibbons, said she thought Reckless had let his party down and the fact that he had sparked an expensive byelection was not not acceptable. |
| “I don’t normally talk too much about politics but I don’t think I agree [with] Mark Reckless defecting to Ukip,” she said. “Ukip have some good views but I think they are quite a weak party. They are never going to hold anything in the government. I would still vote for the party I voted for before regardless of whether it’s him or not. I will still vote Conservative. If he can’t make his mind up what he wants to be then he obviously shouldn’t be an MP, as far as I’m concerned.” | “I don’t normally talk too much about politics but I don’t think I agree [with] Mark Reckless defecting to Ukip,” she said. “Ukip have some good views but I think they are quite a weak party. They are never going to hold anything in the government. I would still vote for the party I voted for before regardless of whether it’s him or not. I will still vote Conservative. If he can’t make his mind up what he wants to be then he obviously shouldn’t be an MP, as far as I’m concerned.” |