Potential Labour Candidate for Hyndburn

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by claytonender

the information is only available to members of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party.

...but you're "not keeping it a secret" of course.

[g jones]

It's not a secret. Anyone who joins knows and anyone can join.

Clearly there is movement to open primaries and I applaud the Tories for trying it out.

[claytonender]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

...but you're "not keeping it a secret" of course.

No we are not keeping it a secret.

However, the selection of a Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Hyndburn Parliamentary Constituency, is a matter for membership of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party and no one else. As members of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party, are the only people who vote on the candidate, it serves no purpose (other than frivolous remarks being posted by so called 'interested parties') for anyone else to be privy to the information.

As Graham has just posted anyone who joins the Labour Party knows and membership is open to all.

[andrewb]

Well now all of accringtonweb know if they read the previous page so it's all well!

[g jones]

I am sure people do know and the fact that some candidates have used the web makes public their position.

I think the party rules are based on the opposite viewpoint of open primaries.

That old argument is that opposition voters will try and influence the vote for the worst candidate and not the best. Whether through public opinion, a dirty tricks or smear campaign for eg or in open primaries through votes.

The Tories have been very careful in using open primaries in safe seats which negates to a large extent any malicous campaining or voting.

In any case pay the membership fee and you can participate. It's only a £1 for young adults as well.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by claytonender

No we are not keeping it a secret.

However, the selection of a Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Hyndburn Parliamentary Constituency, is a matter for membership of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party and no one else.

Definition 2 for the word "secret" in my Oxford English Dictionary states "known only to initiates" and I reckon you've just given us a perfect example there!

[Neil]

Originally Posted by claytonender

No we are not keeping it a secret.

Please will stop making me laugh, I have to clean the coffee off my monitor now

[Gayle]

It's really unfair to accuse them of secrecy - every one withholds information from people if it's not considered important at that time, which this isn't until a selection is made. No one else has any say in the decision, so why is it important for everyone to know until it's actually been made.

For example, you are a member of the committee of a community group, you are involved in a couple of projects, at what point do you tell the rest of the group the decisions that you have been making on their behalf - is it every single step of the way or is it when you feel that there is something important to say? Are you keeping secrets or just waiting for the right time to release the information? Just a hypothetical example of course ;D

For example, you've been given some information that's important to husband/wife/partner, etc but it could be a bit distressing - do you wait until they've come home, settled in, had a cup of coffee, etc or do you phone them up and blurt it out over the phone the very minute you heard it.

My point is that people choose the right time to tell other people things, even if they need to know them at some point.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Gayle

It's really unfair to accuse them of secrecy - every one withholds information from people if it's not considered important at that time, which this isn't until a selection is made. No one else has any say in the decision, so why is it important for everyone to know until it's actually been made.

For example, you are a member of the committee of a community group, you are involved in a couple of projects, at what point do you tell the rest of the group the decisions that you have been making on their behalf - is it every single step of the way or is it when you feel that there is something important to say? Are you keeping secrets or just waiting for the right time to release the information? Just a hypothetical example of course ;D

For example, you've been given some information that's important to husband/wife/partner, etc but it could be a bit distressing - do you wait until they've come home, settled in, had a cup of coffee, etc or do you phone them up and blurt it out over the phone the very minute you heard it.

My point is that people choose the right time to tell other people things, even if they need to know them at some point.

Definition 1 in my Oxford English Dictionary for secret reads: "kept hidden or separate from the knowledge of others" which applies to all the scenarios you describe above. I'm not disputing their reasons for keeping it a secret - they might have very good cause. But a secret it is for the moment. Therefore, stating that "it's not a secret" is stretching the bounds of credulity somewhat. Actually, your phrase "waiting for the right time to release the information" is a brilliant piece of political doublespeak for "we're keeping it a secret". I reckon they ought to hire you as their spindoctor, Gayle!

[Neil]

It is secret until/if they tell people. Its that simple. Why don't they don't just admit the fact.

[claytonender]

Originally Posted by Neil

It is secret until/if they tell people. Its that simple. Why don't they don't just admit the fact.

The only people who need to know (and have the right to the information) who are on the shortlist are the members of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party.

Whilst it is perfectly allowable for the rest of the population of Hyndburn to speculate and discuss the merits of who the person that is chosen as the PPC for the Labour Party. They do not have any 'god given' right to the information.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by claytonender

The only people who need to know (and have the right to the information) who are on the shortlist are the members of Hyndburn Constituency Labour Party.

Whilst it is perfectly allowable for the rest of the population of Hyndburn to speculate and discuss the merits of who the person that is chosen as the PPC for the Labour Party. They do not have any 'god given' right to the information.

Yet more political doublespeak worthy of a minor party official on the politbureau of some Soviet era Eastern European satellite state.

...in other words it's a secret!

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Yet more political doublespeak worthy of a minor party official on the politbureau of some Soviet era Eastern European satellite state.

...in other words it's a secret!

agree, cannot say the simple fact its a secret, just spin like a top, another reason why i n probably many more folk, just don't bother wi politics any more, maybe one day they will "Get It" but have me doubts.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by cashman

agree, cannot say the simple fact its a secret, just spin like a top, another reason why i n probably many more folk, just don't bother wi politics any more, maybe one day they will "Get It" but have me doubts.

Exactly. It's not of vital concern to me who's on the Labour party shortlist for H******n, as I don't live there anymore. I was just making the point that these days, politicians, both national and local, indulge in spin and doublespeak to the extent that I don't even think they know they're doing it...and Claytonender has just proved my point!

One of the many reasons why I now regard politicians with mistrust.

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Yet more political doublespeak worthy of a minor party official on the politbureau of some Soviet era Eastern European satellite state.

...in other words it's a secret!

If you want to join the Labour Party I'll get a membership form. You appear to interested in the Labour Party and it's internal democracy.

But I have to be honest it's not as exiting at times as being a Stanley fan.