Caroline Lucas and Nancy Platts put in strong performances on TV this weekend

Are you still undecided how to vote on Thursday?  It might be worth your while having a look at a couple of programmes broadcast over the weekend on BBC TV and featuring several of the candidates in Brighton Pavilion.

The first,  Newsnight  broadcast on Saturday evening has an item featuring Nancy Platts, Caroline Lucas and Charlotte Vere, as well as a great clip of Green Councillor Alex Phillips about the Greens no loner being a party of sandal-wearers … only to be shown wearing sandals herself.  The broadcast finishes with a bruising encounter between Caroline Lucas and Jeremy Paxman.  It shows Caroline at her charming best agains the Purile Paxman. It shows that, no matter what, Caroline ha the personal qualities she will need as a Westminster MP.

The feature on Brighton Pavilion can be found here and starts at 17 minutes 10 seconds and runs until 29 minutes 50 seconds.

The other is yesterday’s Politics Show South East.  Broadcast from the Brighton Grand Hotel, it featured a debate between Caroline Lucas (Green), Nancy Platts (Labour), Berni Millam (Lib Dem), Charlotte Vere (Conservative)and Nigel Carter (UKIP). For what it is worth, I thought Nancy came across strongest in this debate but luck is not with her in this election. It is ridiculous but this item could not be seen in Brighton Pavilion since it was the slot broadcast from Maidstone.  Instead, in Brighton Pavilion we were able to see a debate broadcast from Southampton and featuring a Dorset constituency.  The BBC must really sort this out. 

As for Charlotte Vere, she came across characteristically robust and personable.  She claims her leaflets are “100% positive”.  So I checked on the 5 Tory leaflets I have received and I have to say she is right! It is a shame that the same can’t be said about her Tweeting.

Missed Opportunity on Politics Show by parties not fielding Caroline Lucas, Charlotte Vere or Nancy Platts

Politics Show with Ian Davey (Green; Hove), Simon Burgess (Labour; Brighton Kemptown), Henry Smith (Conservative; Crawley) and Norman Baker (Lib Dem; Lewes).  Davey hesitant and not that impressive, particularly on drugs and alcohol.  Simon Burgess quite assured.  Henry Smith smooth.  Norman Baker very competent.  Only men on the panel.  Big mistake by all 4 parties.  Good question from MothersInc.  Amusing observation that none of the panel are working mothers.

The SussexSquare (Geoffrey Bowden) asked question about Pride.  Debate around tolerance. Simon says “Norman is right”, not quite “I agree with Norman”!  Ian Davey got good plug in for Caroline Lucas at end of debate, but Caroline should have been there herself. A missed opportunity for Caroline, Nancy Platts and Charlotte Vere.

25 days to go and the Greens are everywhere

I tuned in to the Andrew Marr Show, and there was Caroline Lucas, impressive, charming and authoritative. Then there she was on Sky with Adam Boulton, surprisingly, impressive, charming and authoritative.  Later I turned on the Politics Show, and there was Caroline Lucas once again, surprisingly impressive, charming and authoritative.

This contrasted with the Tory Amanda Plattell who ‘contentedmummy’ described on Twitter as looking “as evil as she sounds”. Together with some non-descript journalist, they attempted to rubbish the Greens and their prospects, but came acros as bitter and sectarian.

And immediately after the Politics Show, as if by imaculate planning, there  was a knock on the door – a Green Party worker. Yesterday I bumped into several Green Party workers.  The mood of all is upbeat and positive.

By contrast, the mood amongst Labour supporters is one of demoralisation, in Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Kemptown, and in Hove.

As for the Conservatives, The SussexSquare (Geoffrey Bowden) tweeted to Charlotte Vere last night, “its amazing that the majority of your tweets are devoted to attacking Caroline Lucas. You must be scared of her!”.

So I looked at the previous 10 tweets posted by Ms Vere.  Seven related to Ms Lucas!  Ms Lucas is everywhere – even having the highest profile on the Twitter account of her Conservative opponent. 

And what about Ms Lucas herself?  How many of her tweets made reference to Ms Vere?  I looked at her tweets, not just the last 10, but every one over the last 10 weeks (I must get a life!).  How many referred to Ms Vere?  50%?  More?  Well, none actually.  Not a single one.  Zero.  It is as if Ms Lucas is not even aware of the existence of Charlotte Vere.

The amazing thing about Caroline Lucas is her energy, and how she remains pleasant and totally focused, no matter who she is talking to.  She has the rare talent to relate to ordinary people and make them feel special, while charming those beasts known as Marr, Boulton and Sopel.

Why the Brighton Politics Blogger doesn’t give interviews

In recent weeks the Brighton Politics Blogger has been asked to give a number of interviews regarding the political situation in Brighton Pavilion. Two requests were for filmed interviews – the Guardian film and this weekend, and most recently by the rather lovely Danielle Glavin for the BBC Politics Show.

Unfortunately, BPB is very shy and retiring, lacking the confidence to speak my mind. How I wish it wasn’t so. I sit here day after day, alone, sad, unloved. Can anyone suggest how I might overcome this terrible affliction. Is it time for me to come out …?

Cameron Squirming on that 4 letter word – Eton

I have just sat through an excruitiating interview with David Cameron on the BBC Politics Show,  Where he looked most ill at ease was when Jon Soppel asked him why, on the Conservative Party website, did it mention the schools attended by all Shadow Cabinet members when they attended state schools, but when an individual had attended a private school, the school was not mentioned.

Cameron first did not answer the question, then he said he did not understand it. He finally said that the website would be fixed.  Throughout he said there was no secret as to where he was educated. But even then he did not mention the 4 letter word, E-T-O-N.  (I suspect that when ‘fixing’ the Tory website, the comprehensive schools attended by Hague, Fox, et al will be removed rather than Eton being added). 

Clearly the Tory’s polling must suggest that the party is seen as Tory toffs: Eton, Bullingham Club, double barreled names. Earlier in the week I posted how the Tories were advising their candidates to drop double barreled names.  So Brighton Kemptown candidate, Simon Radford-Kirby is no plain Simon Kirby, failed candidate in Brighton Pavilion, Digby Seaman-Scott, presented himself  as plain Digby Scott.

Brighton Pavilion candidate, Chuck Vere, responded by saying she is simple Charlotte Vere.  (I detect she does not appreciate being constantly referred to by this blog as ‘Chuck’ – I am just trying to help her and the Tories look ordinary, everyday folk). I can confirm that Chuck Vere is not the Vere-Seaman-Digby-Weale-Chirnside-Firth IV of the Royal London Borough of Uppity Class, referred to in an earlier post!  Nor did she go to Eton.  I am sure her impressive website will give a full biography in due course.