In terms of the data part of this conversation - the best (retrospect) source I have found is Pippa Norris data sets at the Kennedy School of Govt at Harvard. There maybe a better UK source but I have not spotted it.
www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/pnorris/Data/Data.htm - there are at least two British Election ones. Not sure how long after it is updated though. And last time I used the most recent dataset the Welsh and Scottish codes were the wrong way round so keep an eye out for that. On 10/04/2010, Abdul Hai <[email protected]> wrote: > The trouble is that parties have now become professional fighting missions > and are organised from the centre with people at the local level having not > much of a say and even when they do in Conservative Primaries sometimes the > local party tries to overturn the result remember the turnip taliban. Then > there is the example of Tristram Hunt. > > The thing is that conference is not where policy is decided it is done by > the party managers. > > The local parties are really there before the invention of the media age. > > > Support solar power in the developing world. > http://www.everyclick.com/solaraid > http://www.solar-aid.org/ > > > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Irene Rukerebuka <[email protected]> > To: "mySociety public, general purpose discussion list" > <[email protected]> > Sent: Sat, 10 April, 2010 17:27:42 > Subject: Re: [mySociety:public] Conservative Primaries > > Yeah, for sure. You're right. > > I only joined a party like a year and a half ago. I could never get any info > at all. I found I had to join a party-that I agreed with its vision the > most-to find anything out about politics or democracy. > > > > > On 10 April 2010 17:09, Abdul Hai <[email protected]> wrote: > > Thanks Irene. >> >>What I was getting at was that it is easier for party members to know as >> the party has their details and is in contact with them rather then what >> happens in a primary for the Conservative Party where local people are >> asked to attend a huskings with no other information unless they can find >> out something from Iain Dale or something. >> >> >>Support solar power in the developing world. >>http://www.everyclick.com/solaraid >>http://www.solar-aid.org/ >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > ________________________________ > From: Irene Rukerebuka <[email protected]> >> >>To: "mySociety public, general purpose discussion list" >> <[email protected]> >>Sent: Sat, 10 April, 2010 16:37:16 >> >>Subject: Re: [mySociety:public] Conservative Primaries >> >> >>I am with the Lib Dems and you're right Abdul, only members can vote. It is >> a transparent process and we know quite a bit about the candidate but that >> could just be my area-which actually is a poor Lib D area and like 98% >> Tory. >> >>The selection process starts pretty much right after the general election >> give or take. We've been sent emails about starting up again. >> >>But I think it is different for all parties. I do know that with Labour, >> speaking to some different people in various positions that it's that they >> tend to already know who will stand where because there is such a huge >> waiting list anyhow. >> >>Not sure about the Greens. Re the Jury party-independents-it is continous. >> I have a friend who is looking to stand and they pretty much set up their >> own campaign and way. >> >>Not sure about UKIP or BNP! But could probably find out... >> >>I agree Francis about your concept though and like it. I do find having >> played with the online game to get the PPC details, that a phone call >> would be much better to get hold of any of these details. MP's are too >> protected by their parties and shielded and all you get is lip service. >> >> >>On 10 April 2010 16:11, Francis Irving <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>>> >>>On Sat, Apr 10, 2010 at 01:28:14PM +0000, Abdul Hai wrote: >>>>>> I agree with to a certain extent Francis but I think it should be >>>>>> more of an information site rather than a campaigning one. >>>>>> >>>>>> It should be a new site and maybe you could run a test during the >>>>>> next by election to get it ready for the next general election. >>> >>>Candidate selection can be ongoing throughout the period between >>>>>General Elections. At least, I know selections were happening a couple >>>>>of years ago. >>> >>>>>Anyone know, how soon after an Election do parties start to select >>>>>candidates for the next election for any seats? >>> >>> >>>>>> I am not a member of any party as once I used to work in a >>>>>> politically sensitive job so I don't take part in local parties but >>>>>> I could be wrong my understanding is that with the Liberal Democrats >>>>>> and Labour parties that it is the members who vote and they are >>>>>> likely to be more knowledgeable but with the Conservatives it is >>>>>> anyone who is eligible can vote. >>>>>> >>>>>> I was unable to attend the last primary but the information on the >>>>>> candidates was lacking and the vast majority of people who attended >>>>>> were not members of the party so they had no time to gather any >>>>>> information. >>> >>>Right! It is a very invisible, unscrutinised process. >>> >>>>>Francis >>> >>>>>> ________________________________ From: Francis Irving >>> >>>> <[email protected]> To: "mySociety public, general purpose >>>>>> discussion list" <[email protected]> Cc: - >>>>>> <[email protected]> Sent: Sat, 10 April, 2010 13:07:54 >>>>>> Subject: Re: [mySociety:public] Conservative Primaries >>>>>> >>>>>> Great idea Abdul. Julian Todd has been saying similar things, and we >>>>>> reckon something like the following would fit the bill: >>>>>> >>>>>> After the Election, I would like somebody (it would fit well with >>>>>> YourNextMP or DemocracyClub, or could be a new project) to track >>>>>> candidate selection for all parties on an ongoing basis. >>>>>> >>>>>> The site would feature: >>>>>> >>>>>> * A page for each local party, with information about how it selects >>>>>> candidates, who is up for nomination, what stage it is at, who has >>>>>> been selected, deselected etc. >>>>>> >>>>>> * All the data obviously structured, with history etc. Would have to >>>>>> be user submitted data (YourNextMP style). If there are any votes, >>>>>> how many people voted which way, how many attended the meeting etc. >>>>>> >>>>>> * Email alerts to give you updates about parties in your >>>>>> constituency, e.g. when there are public selection meetings, or when >>>>>> it might be worth joining a party in order to influence selection. >>>>>> >>>>>> * A way of sharing information about people running to be PPCs. >>>>>> Basically a YourNextMP type set of information on them. >>>>>> >>>>>> * A measure of how democratic the process is for each party (locally >>>>>> and on average nationally). Other national party statistics >>>>>> aggregated from the local party info. >>>>>> >>>>>> * Possibly could be a campaigning site, with a way of asking / >>>>>> lobbying for open primaries, or other improvements to candidate >>>>>> selection processes. >>>>>> >>>>>> * Possibly could be a "local party" scrutiny site - so could have >>>>>> info other than about selection, such as number of local party >>>>>> members, local party donations and so on. >>>>>> >>>>>> What Voter Power (http://www.voterpower.org.uk/) reminds us, is that >>>>>> most people don't get a vote for their MP. The MP is preordained, >>>>>> based on the process the party uses to select the candidate. >>>>>> >>>>>> A way of improving democracy would be to have more scrutiny of the >>>>>> candidate selection process. >>>>>> >>>>>> Francis >>>>>> >>>>>> On Fri, Apr 09, 2010 at 07:18:47PM +0000, Abdul Hai wrote: >>>>>> > I have been thinking about this for sometime and I was thinking >>>>>> > wouldn't be a good idea to have a site for all Conservative >>>>>> > Primaries for the next election. Before people starting making >>>>>> > comments I would like to say that even though I am Conservative >>>>>> > supporter it would be useful for non Conservatives as the >>>>>> > Primaries are open to the general public who live in the area even >>>>>> > if they are not natural supporters. >>>>>> > >>>>>> > We had one in my local area and it would have been useful for >>>>>> > people to have a site that gave information. I know a lot of >>>>>> > people who went there are not Tory voters. >>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ Mailing list >>>>>> [email protected] Archive, settings, or >>>>>> unsubscribe: >>>>>> https://secure.mysociety.org/admin/lists/mailman/listinfo/developers-public >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>> >>>> _______________________________________________ Mailing list >>> >>>> [email protected] Archive, settings, or >>>>>> unsubscribe: >>>>>> https://secure.mysociety.org/admin/lists/mailman/listinfo/developers-public >>> >>> >>>-- Help beat party propaganda at the next election - >>>www.democracyclub.org.uk >>> >>> >>>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>>Mailing list [email protected] >>>>>Archive, settings, or unsubscribe: >>>https://secure.mysociety.org/admin/lists/mailman/listinfo/developers-public >>> >> >> >>-- >>Irene Rukerebuka >> >>37 Hunters Way >>Tunbridge Wells >>Kent >>TN2 5QF >> >>m: 07826255452 >> >>t: www.twitter.com/rantersparadise >>> >>w: www.hubnovation.org.uk >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>>Mailing list [email protected] >>>Archive, settings, or unsubscribe: >>https://secure.mysociety.org/admin/lists/mailman/listinfo/developers-public >> > > > -- > Irene Rukerebuka > > 37 Hunters Way > Tunbridge Wells > Kent > TN2 5QF > > m: 07826255452 > > t: www.twitter.com/rantersparadise > w: www.hubnovation.org.uk > > > > -- Sent from my mobile device ---- Karin Christiansen 0781 6839 533 _______________________________________________ Mailing list [email protected] Archive, settings, or unsubscribe: https://secure.mysociety.org/admin/lists/mailman/listinfo/developers-public
