Middlesbrough MP Stuart Bell’s funeral was yesterday. Just after it I heard that the by-election for a new MP is likely to take place before the end of November, and applications for selection as Labour’s candidate have to be submitted in the next couple of days.
Yesterday evening, I received an email from Labour – a circular, not one addressed specifically to me – inviting applications, which have to be done via a CV downloaded from Labour’s site, but I can’t access the link because I haven’t been a Labour member for 12 months yet, having joined early this year.
You may of course disagree, but I’ve had a number of people suggest to me since I started this blog that I should stand as a candidate, and as a Middlesbrough boy born and bred, with a passion for my home area as well as for national issues, I’d love to at least put myself into the mix.
Since it appears that Labour’s process isn’t going to let me apply, I’m going to try something different. If it works, all well and good. If not, I’ll get behind one of the other local candidates and do what I can to help him. Only one way to find out whether it’s a good idea or a bad one, I guess.
If you’re a reader of this blog and/or enjoy my Twitter contributions, and you think I’d make a decent candidate, please write to the Labour email address that is collating applications (midd@labour.org.uk) and tell them why you think I’m worth considering – and then please drop me a brief comment on this article so I can gauge the response.
And if not, then thanks for reading this far anyway!
Hi steve can’t login to wordpress they keep going round in ******* Sorry
On Sun, Oct 28, 2012 at 6:28 PM, skwalker1964
Hi mate,
Thanks for trying, but why do you need to sign in to wordpress? If you can read the post and make a comment, that’s fine – the rest is just emailing from your normal email software 🙂
Steve this is a difficult one for me. I believe that parliamentary system has failed, and you will get sucked into the system. Are you prepared to defy the whips?
I understand the dangers, I think. And yes – I’ll vote with my conscience and speak my mind. I have no interest in playing a parliamentary game.
You can only make an impact from within, I wish you all the best
I have sent off an email with all the reasons why I sincerely feel you would make a good candidate as a new MP at the by-election. Hope it works out for you.
Thank you so much!
I think Steve Walker would make an excellent candidate for the Middlesborough seat.
I am a regular reader of his political blog.
He has an excellent and accessible way of clearly articulating political issues. I find his blog both illuminating and inspiring, I read a lot of political blogs and his opinions are the ones that I most value.
His articles are always well researched and he has the knack of getting to the heart of the problem whilst still managing to keep your interest.
I think he would be an asset to the people of Middlesborough and hope that the Labour Party will allow him to stand.
Thank you so much! Unfortunately, it’s too late now – I didn’t get past the first phase.
Awww, oh well the current way the political system is working there is little chance of changing much with the Lobbyists having such a huge impact on the MPs who, in my opinion, end up representing Corporate and banking interests over those of the people who elected them. You blog probably allows you more freedom and the ability to reach and influence more people than if you were tied to a constituency. It certainly helps me a lot anyhow! 🙂
Thank you, you’re right. Not that I’d have held back from saying what I thought as an MP – that’s one reason why I’d want to be one. We need more MPs who are outspoken and less cautious – they’ll get people engaged again.
If you don’t have any joy they are “STUPID” come & be part of BSC/NLP Alliance we are growing all the time