Standing as an MP. Crazy idea?

[funkyrobot]

My local MP has just been elected for the seventh time in a row. I live in a very, very safe blue area (that was blue before the recent election). Personally, I can't stand him and when we have spoken, I found him rude and not at all willing to listen to my concerns.

I couldn't vote for him. Unfortunately, I couldn't vote for the other candidates that appeared out of the woodwork either. I met the Lid Dem candidate at the door of the polling station. She was standing outside and annoying people walking in. She seemed so wishy washy. Totally unelectable.

Therefore, I had the daft idea of looking into standing myself in the next election.

What would it take to do this? I don't have much money, but I currently have time. I don't have any connections with the local council or government. I don't think any of them do a good job. I have lived in my current area for six years, so I'm not new.

Is this a really stupid idea?

I could potentially have a good few years to try and make it work. Has anyone else done this and would anyone want to try for the next election?

Maybe we could get a PH party going?

[robbieduncan]

You will lose £500 (your deposit) unless you are standing for a major party.

[Cyder]

I cannot fathom for the life of me why people would want to stand as MP's.

Earning £80k per year to be smeared by the media and public, lose your privacy and generally be harrassed sounds like a terrible deal to me.

Ah'm oot, good luck!

[funkyrobot]

robbieduncan said:

You will lose £500 (your deposit) unless you are standing for a major party.

I can just about budget for that. I don't drink a lot of alcohol so I'll sell a kidney.

Where do I sign up?

[funkyrobot]

Cyder said:

I cannot fathom for the life of me why people would want to stand as MP's.

Earning £80k per year to be smeared by the media and public, lose your privacy and generally be harrassed sounds like a terrible deal to me.

Ah'm oot, good luck!

I cycle a fair bit and work in a gambling establishment. I get harassed anyway for a hell of a lot less than £80k.

[boxst]

As an independent you don’t really have much hope. If you can get to be the candidate for a party then you will get more exposure.

On the exposure bit, try to make sure you are squeaky clean — the skeletons need to be well and truly hidden.

[funkyrobot]

boxst said:

As an independent you don’t really have much hope. If you can get to be the candidate for a party then you will get more exposure.

On the exposure bit, try to make sure you are squeaky clean — the skeletons need to be well and truly hidden.

This is my only internet output. I don't use any other forms of social media.

Could be linked back to here though.

[Drihump Trolomite]

Speaking of buried skeletons, FR what is the update on the missus front?

[funkyrobot]

Drihump Trolomite said:

Speaking of buried skeletons, FR what is the update on the missus front?

We are working things out for the sake of our daughter.

Been in some bad places this year. Better now though. Much more clarity of thinking. My daughter is too precious to throw things away without trying everything I can.

I have recently seen bad things related to marriage breakdowns. Someone I know ended up on a bridge and was going to jump! It made me realise that I can be stronger as I have my little girl to think about.

Edited by funkyrobot on Monday 16th December 12:05

[Drihump Trolomite]

funkyrobot said:

Drihump Trolomite said:

Speaking of buried skeletons, FR what is the update on the missus front?

We are working things out for the sake of our daughter.

Been in some bad places this year. Better now though. Much more clarity of thinking. My daughter is too precious to throw things away for without trying everything I can.

Nice one, glad to hear it as the lack of updates on the other thread we figured you were murdered.

Remember, putting your daughter first may mean separation - good luck

Dont stand to be an MP

[hyphen]

Did you not think about this standing prior to this election. A bit pointless creating a thread after!

funkyrobot said:

Drihump Trolomite said:

Speaking of buried skeletons, FR what is the update on the missus front?

We are working things out for the sake of our daughter.

Need the wife for your 'family man' campaign image you mean

[funkyrobot]

Drihump Trolomite said:

funkyrobot said:

Drihump Trolomite said:

Speaking of buried skeletons, FR what is the update on the missus front?

We are working things out for the sake of our daughter.

Been in some bad places this year. Better now though. Much more clarity of thinking. My daughter is too precious to throw things away for without trying everything I can.

Nice one, glad to hear it as the lack of updates on the other thread we figured you were murdered.

Remember, putting your daughter first may mean separation - good luck

Dont stand to be an MP

Nah. I have been posting on other things. Just not a lot to update on the marriage.

Thanks.

I'm just curious as to what standing an MP entails.

[funkyrobot]

hyphen said:

Did you not think about this standing prior to this election. A bit pointless creating a thread after!

funkyrobot said:

Drihump Trolomite said:

Speaking of buried skeletons, FR what is the update on the missus front?

We are working things out for the sake of our daughter.

Need the wife for your 'family man' campaign image you mean

No, because I wouldn't have had time to see what it was about. And the recent election highlighted to me the fact that I simply cannot vote for anyone wheeled out in the local area. If you consistently fail to identify with your options, why not try it yourself?

Good old family man image. Nah. Would look stronger as a single dad, if it comes to that.

[PistonBroker]

Our local Independent councillor lost his deposit last week. Nice chap, drives a 996 cab, friend of a friend so I've actually been out on the piss with him. Don't think the photos from 2015 of him campaigning with the Tory who retained her seat last week helped his independent status much. Those of us voting to get her out did hope he'd dilute the vote though. Alas, he didn't,

The Lib Dem I voted for drives a clapped-out import Previa. Proud that I didn't let the cars sway me!

I wouldn't do it OP.

[funkyrobot]

PistonBroker said:

Our local Independent councillor lost his deposit last week. Nice chap, drives a 996 cab, friend of a friend so I've actually been out on the piss with him. Don't think the photos from 2015 of him campaigning with the Tory who retained her seat last week helped his independent status much. Those of us voting to get her out did hope he'd dilute the vote though. Alas, he didn't,

The Lib Dem I voted for drives a clapped-out import Previa. Proud that I didn't let the cars sway me!

I wouldn't do it OP.

I drive a Mk1 Focus 1.6 petrol. It has Autogrip tyres and a dodgy stereo.

I do only drink neat whisky though.

Helpful?

[Mammasaid]

Minor party and independent MPs have been rare in recent times — there have been only 13 different persons elected as such in Great Britain since 1950.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UK_minor_par...

[paulrockliffe]

I looked through the list of MPs that were booted out this election, many I'd never heard of and I have watched BBC Parliament extensively for years. I think it's perfectly possible to be an MP and do nothing such that the loons all bother someone else. Apart from your loons, but that's why you employ your relatives to run your 'office' and sit in London looking busy.

The problem you have is that you couldn't vote for either party and you won't get elected unless you pick one, join them, get on their candidate list and then get selected to run for them. That won't happen unless you spend years grafting for the local party and even then the national party might parachute some throbber in over your head. There was outrage here when Laura Pidcock queue-jumped the local party's list and was awarded the seat for Services to Corbyn after our MP came out as a snob, got slammed in the media and scuttled off with her tail between her legs.

Then you win your seat and some Corbyn or other comes along and pisses everyone off and you're out on your ear regardless.

[yellowjack]

robbieduncan said:

You will lose £500 (your deposit) unless you are standing for a major party.

In Bournemouth East we had a couple of independents and a Green candidate stand along with the three main parties. The Greens and the two indies all lost their deposit, I believe, the Greens managing 4.2% of the vote and if I'm right you need at least 5% of the vote to get your deposit back.

Doing some research leading up to polling day it became apparent that many indies and smaller party candidates crowdfund to raise the money for their deposit and for electoral leaflets, etc.

Plus, by the time of the next election, you might not need a deposit... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30790012


The problem with standing as an independent candidate is that you really need there to be something inherently "wrong" with the sitting MP such that the electorate will vote indie simply to give the sitting MP an electoral bloody nose. Or you have to appeal to local feeling on a specific issue. Otherwise the electorate (mainly) see you as a wasted vote. It really won't make a blind bit of difference what your manifesto says you'll do for police or nurse or teacher numbers, or where you stand on Trident. Because as an indie you'll never be forming a government, even if you do get elected. Our independent candidates were a chap who founded the local 'chapters' of Greenpeace and Extiction Rebellion, and a woman whose main focus was blocking the rollout of 5G without studies into it's effects on population and environment. Tobias Elwood's true blue battle bus rolled back up to Westminster powered by 50.6% of the vote here, with Labour a well beaten second and the Lib Dems third with 11%.

Good luck to you if you choose to stand, but the odds are stacked against you even getting your deposit back with the way our party political system works...

[Stuart70]

If you want to do it as a hobby then go for it, but you will lose your £500 and you will not get elected.
Can’t see there being another election any time soon, given the majority which Boris has achieved.

Dip your toe in the water of local politics first to see if you like it? Local council, parish council (if applicable) etc.

I would walk a long way to avoid the type of people who get involved in these things, but each to their own.

[hyphen]

Stuart70 said:

Dip your toe in the water of local politics first

most indies get their faces known and liked, by becoming campaigners on local issues. So if your local primary is being expanded, or a unpopular housing development is being considered. then lead the campaign against it, appear in local papers and so on.

If it gets stopped, you become the hero and so have a platform to build your councilor/MP career from. You also gather up lots of emails and contact info via running these local issue campaigns which you can then send marketing to and mobilize to vote for you.

Also join all the local community groups and committees. Follow all the council and voting record of the MP and highlight anything that isn't popular and so on.

Are you prepared to put all this work in?