| Counting down the hours | 4:39 PM, Jul 19 2007 |
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Just a few hours to go before the count starts. Have spent the last two days out knocking on doors and talking to people. It is such an inexact science trying to work out if support on the doorstep will be transformed into votes. Read More |
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| More from the Horton election | 1:08 PM, Jul 17 2007 |
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Polling day is just two days away yet the whole of the Sedgefield constituency still seems gripped by total apathy. Perhaps it is because this is a campaign completely devoid of any mention of politics. Nowhere has there been any significant mention of immigration, Iraq, Europe, taxation or the NHS. There has been no debate between candidates or anything in the media to help the voters make an informed decision. It is as though we are selecting an MP for the Newton Aycliffe Shopping Centre rather than a proper politician for Westminster. Read More |
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| Former Tory Candidate Endorses Horton | 8:27 PM, Jul 16 2007 |
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I am pleased to endorse Toby Horton for Parliament. He is an excellent candidate standing on a strong and broad platform. I was the Tory Candidate for Tottenham in the last general election, and previously was both a Conservative on Haringey Council and Chairman of my local Conservative Association. Like Toby I have become fed up with the direction the Party has taken, and have now joined UKIP. Read More |
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| Toby's weird election notes | 3:01 PM, Jul 15 2007 |
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As I was saying earlier, this is a very strange by-election. Sedgefield probably has the highest percentage of registered postal voters of anywhere in the country. There are thirteen thousand registered postal addresses which means there could be as many as 20,000 pople who have already voted with five days still to go before the count. In light of these figures I paid a visit to the police officer responsible for the area and for making sure that the system is not open to abuse and found him extremely friendly and helpful. He assured me that they are working to the latest guidelines drawn up by the Electoral Commission in February this year. Read More |
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| Regional Assemblies | 10:05 AM, Jul 18 2007 |
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UKIP candidate Toby Horton said today that he was proud of his party's role in all of the Regional Assemblies throughout being Britain scrapped. "The abolition of these unelected, unwanted and undemocratic bodies has been the aim of one of UKIP's major campaigns for many years," he said. "My Tory opponent Graham Robb is rightly proud of his efforts to win a resounding no vote against the Assembly in the North east," added Mr Horton, "but somehow he omits to mention that UKIP worked hand-in-hand with the Conservatives in that campaign. "But UKIP didn't stop there... Read More |
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| The Horton Shopping Centre Diaries | 1:34 PM, Jul 13 2007 |
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I started the day with a sense of shock and awe. Shock that, once again, the dreadful Newton Aycliffe shopping centre had contrived—yet again—to be at the centre of the political world: this time it was the Conservatives to blame. And the awe? The awe factor was that they wheeled out Sir John Hall to say that—yes you've guessed it—the centre needed regenerating. This coming from the man who built the Metro Centre and sold it, and who has just sold Newcastle United FC! What on earth did the Tories expect him to say... Read More |
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| The continuing election diary of Toby Horton, aged 60 and a half | 12:31 PM, Jul 12 2007 |
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This is the strangest election I have ever been involved with. The local authority do not allow posters on lamposts or telegraph poles so there is little sign that an election is taking place at all. There are very few posters in windows or gardens and most people you meet, whichever party you are in, seem to be either totally disinterested or completely unaware. Certainly no signs of election fever so far... Read More |
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| Media campaign | 4:02 PM, Jul 11 2007 |
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Toby writes...
This is quite a difficult campaign so far as media coverage is concerned. Only one newspaper, The Northern Echo, covers the whole area. I have been given pretty good coverage in all the newspapers. The Echo have run a piece every day and are carrying an extended interview on Thursday.
I have also been interviewed by the local BBC Radio station and BBC
Online...
Read More
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| Why not take a break from politics? | 11:12 PM, Jul 10 2007 |
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Bored with politics? Fed up with trying to write about Iraq? Trying to find a new line about the European Treaty, education, social policy and the "new government"? Well why not take a break and come to Sedgefield? Read More |
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| UKIP's Toby Horton slams shopping centre monomaniacs | 12:00 AM, Jul 11 2007 |
UKIP candidate Toby Horton today criticised the main parties in the by-election for concentrating solely on the local issue of the Newton Aycliffe shopping centre. Mr Horton said:"Today the European Union was forced to admit that it had lost £777 million to fraud or poor paperwork", said Mr Horton.Read More |
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| UKIP select their Sedgefield Candidate | 3:56 PM, Jul 11 2007 |
The UK Independence Party have named their candidate for the
Sedgefield by-election: he is Toby Horton, a Northallerton businessman
who stood as a Conservative against Tony Blair in 1983.Mr Horton was the constituency chairman for William Hague in Richmond between 1996–1999... Read More |
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