Labour Seems Determined to Lose Stoke

I am getting a bit worried about Labour's chances in the Stoke by-election, I really am. Either they, or the people who are supposedly supporting them, seem determined to lose the vote, as this leaflet which supposedly was handed out in Stoke pretty much demonstrates.

Of the six reasons why people should not for UKIP, only two have any traction. The NHS is a Labour issue, so that is a fair one, and I can sort of understand why the argument that income tax should be set at a flat rate is not going to be much of a goer in Stoke, but the other four are off the wall.

Do Nope No Hope, as those of us who find this outfit worthy only of a laugh call it really believe that a population that has seen its jobs decimated in a generation will find global warming or the plight of elephants in Africa high on their list of priorities? As for the other two, which deal with Muslims, all I can say is that Labour's attitude towards those who enrich our culture with their presence is probably best played down.

Then we have the story going round that Labour men are telling the punters that they should not vote for UKIP's Paul Nuttall as his home in Liverpool is a long way from Stoke. Actually it is about 60 miles from Liverpool which means it is a damn sight closer than the 150 or so from Stoke to London, which is where the last Labour MP came from. 

Then we have Stoke's famous local dish of meat, spuds, carrots and whatever other veggies are found in the cupboard. It is called lobby or lobbies and is identical to the scouse that they eat in Liverpool. Its origins are probably in the German labskaus, so the Stoke housewives took the first syllable, and Liverpool's women the second, but the meal is the same. 

The accents are also somewhat similar, which suggests that the Irish influenced Liverpool twang found its way to Stoke via the bargees who supplied Stoke through the canal network in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Finally, Liverpool is as poor as Stoke and for the same reasons: the Tories waged war on the working class in the 1980s and Labour did sod-all to repair the damage in the 2000s.

Labour could lose this seat to UKIP and if they do then they only have themselves to blame.