Gosport Open Primary update

News just in from my man in Gosport: something like 20% of all local residents - that's about 10,000 - voted in the open primary.

In other words, one in five local residents had a direct say over who gets to be their next MP.  Not bad when you compare it to many of the one party fiefdoms in which voters have little choice.  And compare it to the closed primaries or the caucuses used elsewhere, where something like 0.5% of local voters took part.

Think of the head start that this proper open primary selection gives the winner? 

The key question now is who have the good people of Gosport selected to be the Conservative candidate?  My money is that the Gosport primary, like the Totnes, will be won by a woman.  A 100% record of proper open primaries selecting women candidates?  We'll soon find out. 

UPDATE: Results due at noon, I'm told ....

UPDATE:  Caroline Dinenage wins!  Congratulations.

Significantly, Tory Chairman Eric Pickles issues a challenge to other political parties: "I would encourage our opponents to consider this radical change as a way to reinvigorate our political process. It is vital we make every effort to rebuild people’s trust in their politicians."

Posted on 4 December 2009 by Douglas Carswell

Comments

As a Conservative I would have thought that you would uphold the right for politicial parties to remain private institutions, that only answer to their members.

Why are the Conservatives so keen to let everyone else make their decisions, they're not scared of debating amongst themselves are they?

Posted on 4 December 2009 13:53 by chefdave

The way you frame the argument that the real election comes in the primaries, then what is the point of a general election in safe seats. FPTP is an out dated system that needs reform. Your desire to have open primaries to ensure the voters actually get a real say in who their MP is going to be, is one of the best arguments that the system needs to change. FPTP is not the only system that allows local people to elect a candidate to represent them. Total representation, limited vote and single transferable vote in a multi member constituency, all are better than this outdated, unfair and elite centred FPTP system we are stuck with

Posted on 4 December 2009 14:39 by Daniel Worley

"In other words, one in five local residents had a direct say over who gets to be their next MP".

This assumes that the good constituents of Gosport vote Conservative, and not for one of the other parties who will presumably offering candidates.

I wonder if Fred is allowed to include this in his evening news program, or whether he's been given the night off.

Funny how Caroline Dineage didn't use her married name when she put her name forwards.

Congratulations, anyway.

Posted on 4 December 2009 17:22 by Mick Anderson

Shows we don't need all women shortlists.

Posted on 4 December 2009 18:17 by eddyh

@chefdave: I very much do uphold the right for political parties to remain private institutions. And it should be up to them how to select candidates for public office.

However, why not, as free civic organisations, open up that choice - at the final stage - to a wider range of people? It'd ensure that our candidates had a head start. And help us make sure that who we were putting up had the widest possible level of support.

And help make sure that the choice of who we select remains a local choice.

Proper open primaries - if run correctly - democratise the process at each stage - and make sure that it is local party and voters - not remote London officials - making the key choices.

Posted on 4 December 2009 18:37 by Douglas Carswell MP

Good stuff, hope it spreads to all other seats/partys (including those with sitting MPs)

Posted on 5 December 2009 07:04 by Chris Southall

Ican think of one good reason for Croline to use her maiden name. Her husband is a serving Naval officer and should not be associated with her candidacy.

Posted on 5 December 2009 23:10 by leeman

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