Since I wrote my post the other day about how few of our MPs I knew were definitely restanding in 2015, I wrote to them all bar the 3 I knew were definite 'yes's to ask them their intentions.
I've had a fabulous response.
Many have asked me not to name precise names at this point due to the vagaries and rules around public statements during reselections - but not one single MP (or their office) who has come back to me has said 'no'. Around 20% have said a definitive yes and others have said 'in progress'.
So given the importance of incumbency to the Lib Dems - good piece here I was directed to by @stephen tall about how Lib Dem incumbency is worth an advantage of between 5 and 15% of the vote - things are moving in the right direction. And fast.
And isn't it good to know how responsive our MPs are to questions like this from members?
Slightly odd thing is. Not one female MP has replied as yet. I hope the 'white, middle class Oxbridge Male' thing isn't going to get any worse...
It rather depends on whether those who responded are representative of the whole.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as though around a quarter of the party's MPs have indicated that they intend to stand again. That in itself doesn't strike me as a particularly large proportion, just over two years away from the next election.
Well, I took the glass half full approach that so many of our MPs were happy to reply so promptly :-)
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