Which vote are you (revisited)?

It all comes to which voting group you represent and how organised/influential your group is. The importance of that point cannot be overstated. Today we have two more reports on that theme:

“Let me welcome Lyn Brown, the newly selected Labour candidate for West Ham, to the bearpit that is national politics. Lyn emerged the victor from an all-women shortlist (AWS) procedure, and should become a member of parliament after the next election. She is bright, affecting, and has local knowledge. The people of West Ham will be well served. But today the party should be ashamed of itself.

It declares to anyone who will listen that its dearest wish is to have more minority MPs. And yet, despite all the comments and signals from the regional organisers, the outgoing MP, black activists, and party chairman Ian McCartney, the local party decided that a white person is the best to represent a constituency in which nearly 60% are minorities.”

Source: Equality means everyone

“The Conservatives yesterday stepped up their bid to regain campaign momentum by using 200 local and regional newspapers to relaunch their plans to improve pensions and council tax rebates. Buoyed by yesterday's Guardian/ICM poll which showed the gap with Labour closing to 3%, the Tory leader, Michael Howard, unveiled the party's manifesto for older people before an audience of pensioners in London.”

Source: Tories step up fight for older voters