By-election saddos
Last night on Newsnight we set out to establish what was the most significant by-election of the post-war period - a subject close to many of our hearts here. Newsnight staffers have had a long association with by-elections and related special programmes.
The late great practically invented a new form of television with his classic by-election films - a form to which Michael Crick and David Grossman .
When we announced our search yesterday, the current newsroom head Peter Horrocks - a former Newsnight and election special stalwart - grew excitable and posited Bermondsey (1983), where he then lived, for pure eventfulness and drama. Personally, my favourite moment has to be , as I was Peter Snow's producer when the huge swing there managed to break our shiny virtual reality . Happily we are not alone in our sadness. My favourite viewer comment from Guy:
- "I admit I am a very sad man. So, when I got married last December, my new wife and 200 guests had to sit and listen to me explain why I thought Orpington was the most significant by-election of the last 50 years, because the old Establishment was humbled by the first proper grassroots campaign. It was only when we were on our honeymoon that I remembered Ashfield. My wife and I are still together - after all these months!"
Thanks Guy, was up there, but the consensus among our viewers is Orpington (1962) and it was great to see the winner, Lord Avebury, on last night's programme. Unless of course there's now a new contender for the most significant post-war by-election - ?
Comment number 1.
At 23rd May 2008, dennisjunior1 wrote:Peter:
Interest blog about your topics for
this item!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 23rd May 2008, Hank_Reardon wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 24th May 2008, midnightPantsman wrote:Sorry Peter but on the weekend of Eurovision we thought (us viewers ) would be treated to a graphic of you dressed up as Elvis Costello !Remember Edinburgh 2006 ?
We has human rice too you know !
Angry Tunbridge Wells ...
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 25th May 2008, OlyLow wrote:All very interesting, but why is it that very high paid ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ newsreaders cannot pronounce NanTwich??
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 25th May 2008, haufdeed wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)
Comment number 6.
At 28th May 2008, hackerjack wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)
Comment number 7.
At 28th May 2008, Hank_Reardon wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 7)
Comment number 8.
At 28th May 2008, gerardmulholland wrote:Orpington didn't start the Liberal revival. It confirmed the revival that began at Torrington 5 years earlier.
The 1955 General Election left the Liberals only 6 seats. In 1957 the Liberal MP for Anglesey died and the By-Election was the last time Labour gained from the Liberals in a By-Election. The cruellest blow was that they used an ex-Liberal MP and daughter of a former Liberal Prime Minister, Lady Megan Lloyd-George, to do it. That's almost cheating but not quite!
The Liberals were at their nadir. Only 5 MPs. That's when the jokes about all fitting in a taxi or a 'phone box first did the rounds.
Then the Conservative MP for Torrington died and the grandson of Asquith (another former Liberal Prime Minister) Mark Bonham-Carter, won the seat for the Liberals. Six MPs again! And it never dropped below that again though it took a long time to climb above of it. Torrington got abolished and absorbed into North Devon and Mark Bonham-Carter became a very long serving Deputy Chairman of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ so I'm surprised that you forgot about him!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 8)
Comment number 9.
At 30th May 2008, haufdeed wrote:I would like to commend the moderator of this thread to the authorities- a 50% deletion rate (up to post 8- who knows what will happen to this one) is miles ahead of the competition, and clearly merits a special GOLD AWARD, for assiduous moderation in the interests of maintaining a relentlessly positive tone across the Editors' Blogs. If the usual junket is organised in connection with the award, please remember whose idea it was, and let me have an invitation.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 9)
Comment number 10.
At 30th May 2008, Hank_Reardon wrote:Thanks for the censorship.
so by this thinking is censoring comments your way of confirming them?
if this is the case could you help me out with Nibiru, I am trying to confirm whether it exists or not, maybe you can help?
Complain about this comment (Comment number 10)
Comment number 11.
At 30th May 2008, PeterBarron wrote:I don't know why so many of these comments have been removed - I'll ask the moderators to explain
Peter
Complain about this comment (Comment number 11)
Comment number 12.
At 30th May 2008, haufdeed wrote:Well, Peter, it's very nice to see that at least one of "the editors" actually looks at these blogs from time to time. My comment at 9 above was directed at precisely the issue you raise- and appears to have been moderated, or at least hasn't been published yet. Doubtless it breached the House Rules by seeming to be critical, although it was intended to be constructive. I must learn that any form of irony or sarcasm breaks the House Rules. Or better still, perhaps I should go post somewhere else- that would make everyone so much happier.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 12)
Comment number 13.
At 30th May 2008, Hank_Reardon wrote:my comments were removed because they were off-topic.
your blog was about by-elections
my comments were about 7/7 and the rediscovered bus footage that didn't exist a few years ago
A would like to offer a huge apology to the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ for even considering questioning the official truth.
I will try and comment only on the given topic in future and will keep reminding myself that the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ knows best, even when the facts make stories impossible.
i will self censor to save the problem, and stay on topic
with this in mind.
Well done ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ on all your by-election coverage. It couldn't be improved on and was wonderful and perfect in every way.
Thank God that we have you to inform, educate and entertain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 13)