Penarth Hustings 2015

Gawainsdad and I went along to a hustings this afternoon, for South Cardiff and Penarth constituency. Six candidates attended��to answer previously submitted questions: from the Tories, the��Greens, Labour and Co-op, the LibDems, Plaid Cymru and UKIP.

The results were perhaps as expected. The three parties of government were the most polished. The Green candidate was passionate, the Plaid candidate personable and pleasant, the UKIP candidate sometimes well-informed but basically UKIP.

But where was the far left-candidate? Ross Saunders of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition was absent. This was particularly disappointing because he is one of the only four candidates who has so far sent us any election literature. (We have so far not heard a peep out of the Tories, Greens or LibDems.) Apparently he was present at one of the earlier hustings, which we missed because we are disorganised. or busy. or whatever. In any case, we missed it.

So: we have seven candidates to choose from in this safe Labour and Co-op seat. Six of them gave us their views at this afternoon’s hustings. Four of them have sent us paperwork about their policies. Rumour has it that they also go door-knocking, but I think that’s just a myth; they never make it down here. At least, they never have yet.