Comments on: Does being ‘genuinely local’ make for a better MP?

By: Scouse

Scouse — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:58:15 +0000

The Snooty Little Madam has stated that IF ELECTED she will honor us with her presence and actually live in the constituency. She is endemic of what is wrong with the party – a student politician with no ties to the area can practice elsewhere – A life long labour voter I will be putting my cross beside the name of Colin Eldridge Lib Dem who is a real person with local issues at heart rather than some career politician whose only concern is her own development.

By: Andrew Gwynne

Andrew Gwynne — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:09:48 +0000

I’ve already done a “Stockport Test” for the Stockport Express newspaper and scored 9/10 (plus an extra bonus point for very sadly knowing how many bricks – to the nearest million – are in the Stockport viaduct (11m))… The question I got wrong was how old is Stockport Market – I said 150 years old, it is actually 750! Yes my dad still lives in Denton. My mum died in 1994.

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:00:09 +0000

I think it definitely is an advantage to be local, as what matters to the public will also matter to you. Maybe we should give you a ‘Denton Test!’ I’m sure you’d pass with flying colours. Keep up the good work! PS Do your parents still live in Denton?

By: CopelandRocks

CopelandRocks — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:57:29 +0000

“I don’t suppose you can get much more local than any of that!”

I think Jamie Reed MP might defeat you on the “most local MP” stakes. He’s at least the 4th generation of his family to live in the constituency he now represents. His great-grandfather is buried in the remains of Haig Colliery and he’s only recently described himself as a “third generation Sellafield worker”.

By: Kroonluchters

Kroonluchters — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:53:14 +0000

This was a nice post! I am looking for some related pictures. Anybody got some good ones?

By: Andrew Gwynne

Andrew Gwynne — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 12:02:29 +0000

Thanks. I will certainly do my best to keep posting regular articles (easier said than done, I appreciate!) Hopefully they will generate some good debates too.

By: Sarah Bridgestock

Sarah Bridgestock — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:36:34 +0000

Luciana rocks! She is exactly what our Parliament needs.

Nice blog by the way,good to see an MP engaging directly with voters. I hope you aren’t going to be like the scores of other MPs who blog and not keep yours up to date??

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:55:01 +0000

It all depends on who is voting and what they are voting for. Most people want their local MP to be someone they can relate to, and who will understand and be sympathetic to their problems when they call on them to help them. In my opinion, the recent MP’s expenses scandal has produced a further divide between politicians and the people they’re sent to represent, and having career politicians elected in the forthcoming election will only make that worse. Having local people representing local views in Parliament is what can restore public trust in the politicians that are sent to the ‘Ivory Tower’ of Westminster.

By: Angela

Angela — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:18:35 +0000

I think it’s less important than integrity, honesty and being in the job for the right reasons. An MP should have a firm understanding of local issues but this knowledge can be aquired.

By: HelsBells

HelsBells — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:00:05 +0000

As someone who witnessed Luciana’s campaign and voted for her, I can confirm that she did a sterling job. Being local is not important – being a good Parliamentarian is; this is Luciana’s destiny. I just hope it is for Wavertree and the current nonsense does not deprive us of a potential first class MP.