http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/hazelgrove/comment-page-2/
“From what I have been told the whole process was a disgrace. She owns a house in London, works in London and pops up in the constituency only at weekends and yet she was paraded before the members as being ‘truly local’
She had the backing of Andrew Stunell and local and national campaigns director Hilary Stephenson. In fact Stunell went round visiting members to ‘help them’ decide who to vote for!!
Good thread on Lib Dem Voice in the General section ‘ Lisa Smart for Hazel Grove’…..Rather oddly this thread has recently been closed…I wonder why?”
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“I live in Cheadle Constituency, literally across the road from the Hazel Grove boundary so I may be able to give some local insight.I understand Lisa Smart arrived in Stockport about 12 months ago and has been living in a flat owned by the Lib Dems, next to Andrew Stunell’s office in Romiley. She defeated Shan Alexander in the selection ‘contest’ who was previously Mayor of Stockport and is now an Executive Member.
Hazel Grove is a very interesting seat consisting of Marple North and South, Offerton, Bredbury and Woodley, Bredbury Green and Romiley and Hazel Grove itself. Previously the Lib Dems have been able to weigh the votes in the Bredbury, Marple and Offerton however, since 2010 there has been a significant shift.
In 2011 Labour came from a distanct 3rd in Bredbury and Woodley Ward to come a decent second, in 2012 they cut the Lib Dem majority even more, to an extent where it is now in a knife edge and it could fall to Labour quite easily in 2014. Which would deliver their first Councillor in Bredbury in 30 years.
Offerton was snatched by Labour from the Council leader, Dave Goddard. Offerton is a diverse Ward which encompases the Offerton estate, the Been Leach Estate and the area along the east end of Marple Road. It was always a safe seat for the Lib Dems until Labour ran it close in 2011, probably down to tactical unwind. This one will be too close to call in 2014.
Bredbury Green and Romiley is more of a Lib Dem and Conservative fight, although there only appears to be one Tory who can win locally and he is the incumbent Councillor elected in 2011 after losing his seat to the Lib Dems in 2010. In 2014 I’d expect this to be a narrow Lib Dem hold by less than 100.
Hazel Grove is split across 2 wards Stepping Hill (where I live) and Hazel Grove Ward, the Ward has always been a straight Tory/Lib Dem marginal with the north of the ward being more Liberal inclined and the south of the ward being more Tory inclined. The Tory PPC won the seat in 2011, yet they failed to capitalise on the second in 2012 by a very narrow margin. This is another seat which will be very close, UKIP could play a major factor in the outcome here.
If you ever visited Marple you would assume that it would be a Tory stronghold, however the Lib Dems have dug in here for 30 years now and they are safe as houses even in a bad year, unfortunately for the Tories I don’t see a way back for them in Marple which is probably the key to winning the parliamentary seat. in 2014 this will return 2 Lib Dem Councillors in Marple North and South.
The result in 2014 will be worth watching as it will give a better indication as to how 2015 will pan out, realistically this seat could split 3 ways in terms of Council seats and there is a destinct possibility Labour could have more Council seats than the Tories in Hazel Grove.”
November 18th, 2013 at 8:34 am
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“Catholic Left
Can I just say I have never met this Lisa Smart so in that sense it is not personal. It really is the underlying principle of what she and indeed other Lib Dems have done that grates with me. I have friends of all sorts of political persuasions which usually makes for a good evening of political discussion in the pub.
Much of the inside information on what is happening there comes from my friend (who is a Lib Dem) and who seems for one reason or another to have a very good handle on what is happening and why.
At a time when the number of people voting for anybody seems to be going down then this is not a good trend for the democratic process. The ultra cynical way the Lib Dems have imported somebody from London, found an address for her in the Constituency, provided inside information to her on when the selection contest was going to be held one year in advance of everyone else, called her a “local” in all her selection material when she clearly isnt just doesnt strike me as anything other than completely disengenuous. Others might call it downright deceit.
If I were a local Lib Dem councillor in Hazel Grove I would be thinking twice about telling my local electorate that the Lib Dem team’s Parliamentary Candidate was really “local”. Wouldnt you??
Gavin
December 5th 2013″
Smart’s charity accounts – http://www.lavida.org.uk/La_Vida_Accounts_2013.pdf