Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat

stuartbruce Fri Nov 03, 2006 at 09:41:31 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

In today's Wakefield Express (not yet online) Ed Balls has finally confirmed that he wants to fight the new Morley and Outwood seat.



Personally I'm surprised that up until now Ed has allowed it to be seen that his Normanton constituency is being abolished. In fact what is happening is that it is merging with the Morley and Rothwell constituency.

Ed has just as much right to consider the new Morley and Outwood constituency to be his as does Colin Challen, the Morley and Rothwell MP.

Challen today sent a newsletter to constituency members announcing that he too wanted to seek selection.


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Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat | 9 comments (9 topical)

Re: Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat (#1)

by Andrea on Fri Nov 03, 2006 at 10:07:33 AM GMT

"Personally I'm surprised that up until now Ed has allowed it to be seen that his Normanton constituency is being abolished. In fact what is happening is that it is merging with the Morley and Rothwell constituency."

I think that it has been seen as abolished because it's going to be split between various seats and it hasn't an obvious successor.
The old Normanton constituency will be split among Morley and Rothwell (34.5% of the old Normanton goes there), Wakefield (38.4% go there), Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (23.8%) and Hemsworth (3.3%)


Re: Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat (#2)

by MM on Fri Nov 03, 2006 at 12:52:38 PM GMT

Ros Taylor of the Guardian reviews Ed Balls Fabians' Next Decade lecture.  No doubt Balls is a clever guy but clearly his speech making and media skills have to improve.  One suspects he is unlikely to be Chancellor in Brown's first Cabinet.  He also needs to learn that there is more to going onto the media and saying 'Tory cuts and Labour spending', the auidence on shows likes the Daily Politics and Today etc are more intelligent than that.

Balls sees climate challenge as opportunity for EU
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/archives/2006/11/02/balls_sees_climate_challenge_as_opportunity_for _eu.html#more


[ Parent ]

Re: Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat (#3)

by nickparrott on Fri Nov 03, 2006 at 02:18:31 PM GMT

Could this be because of the slightly awkward procedural situation created by the rules banning the "chicken run" in the NEC Guidance on selections?

If I understand it correctly (and I've not read the NEC Guidance this time round, just heard this from other people) you must have failed to be re-selected for your own seat before seeking selection elsewhere.

So, he would do better to stand in Morley & Outwood even if he loses, because he is then free to seek selection elsewhere. Otherwise he would probably have had to seek NEC disposition to be considered some kind of special case.

If anyone knows the rules better than me though, I'd be interested to hear whether that stacks up or not...


Re: Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat (#4)

by Anonymous on Fri Nov 03, 2006 at 02:47:32 PM GMT

As a former member of Morley and Rothwell CLP, I think it is more than likely Ed Balls will win it if he puts his mind to it. Colin Challen is never going to be more than a fairly unassuming backbench MP. Also people elsewhere in Yorkshire will be watching closely and Ed really needs to make a big effort here as people will think he is doing the Chicken Run by proxy. A third of a constituency is a lot and the membership in the Morley branches is not what it used to be.


[ Parent ]

Re: Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat (#5)

by Anonymous on Fri Nov 03, 2006 at 03:22:59 PM GMT

You are correct Nick. Before you can become a 'free floating' candidate you'd have to try standing in you own first. I suspect that if either Balls or Challon loses one of them would go for the seat that Battle will be standing down from.


[ Parent ]

Re: Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat (#6)

by Anonymous on Fri Nov 03, 2006 at 04:05:12 PM GMT

Fighting like ferrets in a sack. Good for the Tories


Re: Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat (#7)

by Andrea on Fri Nov 03, 2006 at 04:19:14 PM GMT

When because of a reduction of the number of seats in a certain area, there're more sitting MPs than seats available, reselection fights are quite normal. And it happens with the tories too (aka Ann McIntosh touring the country to find a seat after her Vale of York has been abolished and she failed the selection in Selby)


[ Parent ]

Re: Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat (#8)

by bornin84 on Sat Nov 04, 2006 at 07:04:10 PM GMT

There may be a reselection but I don't yet see anyone fighting like ferrets in a sack!


[ Parent ]

Re: Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat (#9)

by leedslabour on Tue Jan 30, 2007 at 02:52:01 PM GMT

Colin Challen has decided to stand down and concetrate on his climate change campaign.

This no doubt hands the seat on a plate to Balls.


Balls to fight for new Morley and Outwood seat | 9 comments (9 topical)