Tony Juniper: 'a legend'
I am a Conservative. Since the age of 16, I have been a paid-up member of the Conservative Party. Even in 1997 as a relatively politically ignorant child, I was upset by New Labour's landslide victory. The street party that was held at the end of our road heralding the sweep to power of this new political phenomenon made me sick to my stomach. My Tory parents looked on helplessly as garish red banners bearing the leering face of Tessa Jowell – our new MP – marched past our windows. Tony Blair was, in our house, a figure of hate: an over made-up, slimy Rumpelstiltskin of a politician who had hoodwinked the British people to the cries of 'A new dawn of politics', 'Education, Education, Education' and other catchy slogans invented by Alastair Campbell.
Here I stand in 2010. An exciting time when, for the first time, my political opinion matters. I am still nominally a Conservative, but admitting that is like saying you like the occasional asphyxiwank, and anyway my membership to the Party probably won't be getting renewed. Or maybe they won't want me back after this article.
I am not writing this article in terms of national or leadership politics: there's plenty of dross on iPlayer and 4oD for you to decide about that. I want to talk about your choice of candidate in Cambridge. The town has a recent history of being a bit of a rogue seat, switching between the centre-left Labour and Lib-Dem parties. The modern Cambridge student, by comparison to his 70s car-burning, Senate House-besieging equivalent, is a vague political entity that is probably more likely to vote for what his or her parents say than to do some actual free-thinking. It is time to set these tribal differences aside. CUCA (CU Conservative Association) – signet rings and tweed off for a minute, please. CULC (CU Labour Club) – kindly lay down your hammers and sickles.
I was lucky enough to meet the four 'main' candidates: Julian Huppert (Lib-Dem), Daniel Zeichner (Labour), Nick Hillman (Conservative) and, some might argue not a main candidate, Tony Juniper (Green).
The outgoing MP was a well respected Lib-Dem called David Howarth. A clean-cut grandfather figure, local Magistrate, a don at Clare, described as an 'Angel' by the Guardian for not having claimed a penny in expenses despite regularly catching the train from Cambridge to attend the Commons. His voting record is impeccable and his theyworkforyou.com profile is the envy of Westminster. He is unfortunately stepping down this time round, letting Huppert take the mantle.
Julian Huppert has big boots to fill, and I was expecting a rather impressive, flawless politico to turn up to meet The Tab team and I. However, we were rather disappointed. A small, portly young ginger nerd turned up; evidently a nice bloke but a bit of a bearded blusterer. The Lib-Dems were conceited enough to consider Cambridge a safe seat and evidently think they can get away with it. The sort of man who leaves his campaign files in the pub is not the sort of man I would want raising issues for me in Parliament.
Daniel Zeichner, who arrived rather imperiously with an aide or two, is a politician way beyond his sell-by date. As a former Unison big whig he is a staunch advocate of trade union action which I don't condemn, but we don't want a repeat of the 1970s. He swept in for his interview and did little to impress. He denied his Germanic heritage (he is half Austrian), described being accused of being Jewish as part of a negative smear, said that because he came from Beckenham he couldn't possibly be Jewish and in a talk at the Union did a Nazi salute in order to describe the Conservative coalition in Europe. He also defended Gordon Brown's unfair attack describing 65-year-old Gillian Duffy as 'bigoted'.
Nick Hillman was previously a teacher who, I can only imagine, must have left because any adolescent child would be able to pick on him. His worst crime, in my opinion, was that his handshake was like someone had dropped a day-old trout in my hand. Needless to say, his personality was something similar. His alleged nickname of Nick 'Pillman' at school raised our hopes for making him a little more interesting, but his instant dismissal of all drugs and whole-hearted support of Britain's costly and failing drugs policy relegated him again to the status of bottom-feeder.
Tony Juniper was a breath of fresh air. He is Vice Chair of Friends of the Earth International, has an enormous amount of political experience whilst not being a politico. A friend of David Howarth, the incumbent MP, he is clearly a sound guy. His candid answers and lack of nerves made him believable, and his passion seems to be truly for the interests of Cambridge. He could easily have been selected as a Lib-Dem if he wanted a run at government, but chose the Green party to be an independent voice of reason in a world crammed full of Blairs and Camerons. He is a legend both politically and personally. This seat is winnable for the Greens. Come on Cambridge: use your head.
Yes Gareth. Sick article.
Except that it failed to talk about anything of substance at all…
Love this article – the process of someone making a well thought through decision based on the merits of each candidate. Thank you Gareth.
Stupid article. You've judged all of them on hair-colour, handshakes and presentation rather than what they stand for. Lot of tripe and superficial nonsense. You have not discussed a single issue here of any actual importance to the electorate.
Stupid article. You've judged all of them on hair-colour, handshakes and presentation rather than what they stand for. Lot of tripe and superficial nonsense. You have not discussed a single issue here of any actual importance to the electorate.
all of politics is tripe and artificial nonsense. i actually think this is well-reasoned as well as being pretty humorous. hes actually gone to some length to find out what theyre like. thats better than just reading some glossy brochure of empty policies or manifestos. well done mr rhys.
Absolutely independent-minded local candidates are few and far between. Juniper deserved the vote. Great article.x
At the Transition Cambridge / Department of Geography hustings last week I asked:
"What do the panel think of the Green party candidate’s view that we should have, and it would be desirable to have, a greater fraction of our population working to obtain our food and energy? Wouldn’t that be terrible for the economy and result in food and energy prices increasing?"
I've posted a video of the debate at:
http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/green-juniper-energy-foo…
Im not massively into Green politics, but I agree with this. Tony Juniper has far more experience than the other candidates at genuinely getting shit done.
Huppert has no real experience. He is also really objectionable: smug, glib, know it all. He basically told a hustings I went to that it was between him and Labour, and therefore he was probably going to win… How ironic for a lib dem to be telling us historically Cambridge is a two horse race?
Completely disagree. He's actually a really nice bloke. Face the realities. Greens got 2.9% of the vote. They can't realistically win.
We need proportional representation so fringe votes do actually make a difference. That's why we need as many Lib Dem MPs as possible to ensure it happens in this parliament. Then we won't need to have these boring discussions about electoral swings under FPTP.
He might actually be a nice bloke, but the problem is he presents as a bit of a wally.
What happened last time is also totally irrelevant… On the basis of last time the wider election would be a two horse race, and this clearly is no longer the case. See the Cambridge Evening News polls as well…
Also whilst Huppert might have had success in terms of research and academia (for which he should be congratulated, no question), the possibility of having someone who has a genuine track record as a political activist and has run a major organisation like Friends of the Earth is really attractive.
I just think we have this amazing opportunity to elect someone with an enormous bank of experience and knowledge that is simply not matched by a bloke who has spent the last few years in the Cav…
"[Zeichner] has conspicuously never been selected to run for a seat by the Labour Party before…"
Zeichner was the Labour candidate in Mid Norfolk in 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Apologies for the inaccuracy, thanks.
Enjoyed watched Huppert trying desperately to rack up the lad points with his knowledge of Cindies.
But what about their policies Gareth? What's Zeichner's heritage/non-heritage got to do with anything? Nothing. How is being 'ginger' an issue? Nothing. And lack of nerves is an asset? Thatcher had no nerves, but she was a nutter – that was basically the problem.
Tab, grow up. Talk about policies for once, not whether you 'reckon' people are 'sound' or not. Are you trying to be 'street' or something? Who are you kidding?
On the policies, the Lib Dems win, and you know it.
The idea that the seat is winnable is utter nonsense. They got less than 3% of the vote. It would need to increase over 1000% to get anywhere near to being winnable. That just isn't going to happen – sorry!
ROFLMAO
At least I have the sense to make clear that I am taking the piss with my opening line. I thought you may have had a point with the "where's the policy? get back to the issues" line (even if it is quite clearly meant to be a light-hearted piece).
But then you said the LibDems were hot on policy.
Oh. Dear.
ROFLMAO
At least I have the sense to make clear that I am taking the piss with my opening line. I thought you may have had a point with the "where's the policy? get back to the issues" line (even if it is quite clearly meant to be a light-hearted piece).
But then you said the LibDems were hot on policy.
Oh. Dear.
Yes because the Greens have it nailed everywhere in comparison. Get a grip, honestly.
Tony's a great guy, and the most experienced candidate out of all of them. He's also not pompous or arrogant, which is what Cambridge voters want. I hope many of you vote Green tomorrow. Let's get Cambridge on the political map and make history whilst doing so! Good luck guys! Thanks for all the positive feedback!
Aside from the party politics (semi-) discussed by Gareth Rhys here, I find being pigeongholed as "probably more likely to vote for what his or her parents say" an insult as a politcal entity more than anything else. As the child of a staunch working class Tory with UKIP tendencies on immigration, and a sort-of-socialist who nonethelesss refused to believe that The Times was a Tory paper until it specifically came out in favour of David Cameron (and who has since being avoiding disclosing the reason why she has recently been buying the Guardian with aforementioned Tory/UKIP sympathiser), I would posit that I am more of an influence on the way in which my parents intend to vote than vice versa. Left to them, I would either be the kind of Conservative voter who does not really think before casting their ballot (i.e. the majority they are counting on) or someone thoroughly puzzled by the leftist alternatives.
Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to inform myself before voting.
Aside from the party politics (semi-) discussed by Gareth Rhys here, I find being pigeongholed as "probably more likely to vote for what his or her parents say" an insult as a politcal entity more than anything else. As the child of a staunch working class Tory with UKIP tendencies on immigration, and a sort-of-socialist who nonethelesss refused to believe that The Times was a Tory paper until it specifically came out in favour of David Cameron (and who has since being avoiding disclosing the reason why she has recently been buying the Guardian with aforementioned Tory/UKIP sympathiser), I would posit that I am more of an influence on the way in which my parents intend to vote than vice versa. Left to them, I would either be the kind of Conservative voter who does not really think before casting their ballot (i.e. the majority they are counting on) or someone thoroughly puzzled by the leftist alternatives.
Thank goodness I thought through my stance before voting.
Formulate your own political opinion, rather than simply echoing what your parents think you despicable man. I'm just suggesting this, but it may well be the case that the tories are a party of bigoted homophobes and shitwits. Just a thought….
awesome
Haha all of you people commenting are clearly taking this way too seriously. Gareth is obviously just making a few light hearted observations. I think this article is brilliant. So what if he makes a few generalisations or remarks about ginger hair. You should all go and get a life. If youre that bothered- write your own article. Some of you dont even make any sense
JUDAS