Random Thoughts #4 – The 2011 elections aftermath edition
I haven’t done a ‘Random Thoughts’ post for almost a month so this is a bit of a catch up on links related to the aftermath of the May 5th elections. Mainly for reference purposes to be honest.
My personal Lib Dem Top of the Blogs, Golden Half-Dozen
It would have been better to have put together a post with a round up of the best of the commentary reacting and analysing the results a bit nearer to the local and other elections. But I wouldn’t have done any better than the round up that Stephen Tall put together. So go read Stephen’s instead.
However, one of the posts that Stephen includes I think is worth highlighting is this one from Nick Thornsby; “If there is one ‘lesson to learn’ from Thursday’s various polls it is this: there is no ‘progressive majority’ in Britain.” I strongly agree with much of what is said here and it echoes some things that I have been thinking and reading about recently.
The Yes Campaign – What lessons need to be learned
I’ve got the strong impression that those involved in the Yes campaign for the AV referendum have had a rather rough time and not just because they were on the losing side. This frank document released by Andy May, “the National Manager of the Regional Staff for the Yes Campaign and formerly National Organiser of Take Back Parliament”, makes for painful reading. But there are lessons in there not just for possible future referendums but for anyone organising any kind of political campaign. For me the single most shocking fact in the document is that no professional fundraiser was employed by the Yes Campaign.
A collection of more links and resources on the Yes to AV campaign is available on the WhyWeLostAV blog.
England Council Elections Results from the BBC.
This content was originally posted on my old Strange Thoughts blog.