• frankPodmore@slrpnk.net
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    It requires huge amounts of work to be a candidate. I know people who’ve run for parliament. One of them had previously run as a total no-hoper on multiple occasions, in order to prove he knew how to campaign well enough to get selected for a seat where he had a chance. He was so burned out by the selection process that having won the selection, he actually turned down the nomination, then quit politics altogether. The idea that he’d have deliberatey thrown any of those elections is ridiculous.

    • woop_woop@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      5 months ago

      So we’re just ignoring this part then?

      In Britain, being nominated as a local election candidate simply involves signing some forms, with no deposit required. A paper candidate will often do no campaigning at all and so be able to submit a zero return of election expenses, simplifying the paperwork for the election agent. Paper candidates are commonly fielded in different locations by all the major parties in both local and national elections.

      • frankPodmore@slrpnk.net
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        5 months ago

        In Britain, being nominated as a local election candidate simply involves signing some forms

        They’re not local election candidates.

        • polonius-rex@kbin.run
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          0
          ·
          5 months ago

          This isn’t some no-name who’s scraped their way in after years of effort; he’s been the candidate since 2005.

          Placing a bet against himself is absolutely the kind of thing that could jeopardize both his candidacy going forward, and his election chances. So “he wouldn’t do all that just to throw it away” is nonsense.

          The man has literally given himself financial incentive not to win and you don’t see how that kind of conflict of interests is an issue? Are you real?

          • frankPodmore@slrpnk.net
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            0
            ·
            5 months ago

            Even if his only incentives were financial, he will make more money by winning than by losing, because an MP’s salary and expenses are pretty good. So, even taking into account the innumeracy of your average MP, he does not have a financial incentive to lose.