Can anything go right for Labour?
Peter Hoskin 8:52am
Since June, Jack Straw's been trying to push through reforms which would limit the Tories' ability to pour £millions into key marginal seats between elections – the 'Ashcroft Effect' as it's sometimes called. Well, it's not looking too promising for Straw's plans. The Guardian have got their hands on a document in which the Electoral Commission's chief executive, Peter Wardle, expresses "serious reservations" about the proposed reforms.
Of course, the commission can't block the legislation. But the reforms would only come into effect after it's offered its guidance. And the commission's reservations mean that Straw may be waiting some time for that. So much time, in fact, that it's looking unlikely the changes will come into effect before the next election. So, Tory spending in marginal seats will remain unchecked. Whilst Labour will be worrying about how to repay all those loans.
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Captain Coma
August 1st, 2008 9:35am Report this commentOh ...
'Powerful donors who lent £15m ($30m) to Labour in the run-up to the last election, much of which is now due for repayment, have given the party a year’s grace to find the sum.
“The lenders have agreed to reschedule the loans for a further period and have indicated that there is no intention to ask for any repayment prior to the end of June 2009,” the party said in its annual accounts, published on Wednesday.'
(http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2584568a-5e8d-11dd-b354-000077b07658.html)
Travis Bickle
August 1st, 2008 9:58am Report this commentI think I can help here, in the (still) austere years of the early 1960's we used to make school Christmas Party hats out of cardboard and coloured tissue paper. Cost next to nothing, so with a bit of imagination Labour could use the method to design the top hats for their, single issue, Tory Toff electioneering campaigns across the country and need never worry about overspending again! Sorted. (sorry I can't help with practical ideas about lost deposits)
Tiberius
August 1st, 2008 10:36am Report this commentNot relevant as the Great Democrat Brown already has advanced plans to engineer emergency conditions requiring a postponement of the 2010 GE.
seb
August 1st, 2008 11:24am Report this commentI feel that Tiberius may be proved right. Apart from the fact that it would be declared unconstitutional, a declaration of emergency - requiring Brown to stay at the helm and protect us from the fiendish Cameron - is about the only option Labour will have left by mid-2010. Thank God for the monarchy. Mrs. Windsor would simply smile and dissolve parliament, leading to the election the voters deserve.
Silent Hunter
August 1st, 2008 9:16pm Report this commentAhh! :O) thank you Seb.
God bless Her Majesty.......I knew she would come in useful one day.
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