Labour make a decision (at last) and other candidates appear

Despite the reportedly extensive lobbying efforts of City Council leader Jon Collins, the Labour Party have selected Chris Leslie as their candidate fo Notingham East. Local press coverage here. The BBC report "Chris Leslie, a former Constitutional Affairs Minister, will stand after losing his seat in Shipley in the 2005 general election."

So we have a recycled reject from Shipley, Yorkshire parachuted in at the behest of those whose Leadership campaign he ran. Wonder how enthusiastic the local party workers will be campaigning for him?

According to theyworkforyou.com his voting pattens from 2001 until he lost his seat in 2005 make interesting reading:

• Voted moderately for removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords
• Voted moderately against a wholly elected House of Lords
• Voted very strongly for Labour's anti-terrorism laws
• Voted against laws to stop climate change
• Voted moderately against greater autonomy for schools
• Voted very strongly for introducing ID cards
• Has never voted on replacing Trident
• Voted strongly for equal gay rights
• Voted very strongly for the hunting ban
• Voted very strongly for the Iraq war
• Voted very strongly against an investigation into the Iraq war
• Voted a mixture of for and against introducing a smoking ban
• Voted strongly for introducing student top-up fees
• Voted very strongly for introducing foundation hospitals

There are some positive points in there - gay rights and hunting ban - but there are some big negatives - against stopping climate change, for the Iraq war and against an investigation into it, and for ID cards.

Meanwhile, other party candidates appear on the radar...

The Green Party have chosen Benjamin Hoare. Yournextmp.com says he is a Sales & Export Manager Earache Records. A visit to Earache Records website shows a photo of a "dude" with wrapround shades and a goatee beard. The record company has an interesting roster of bands of he "extreme music" variety such as those old favourites Napalm Death and Deicide. I'm not going to type some of the other band names as they  have obviously been chosen to shock those of a sensitive disposition, but you can go look for yourselves.

The Lib Dem candidate rang the doorbell when I was half way through typing up Chris Leslie's voting record. Had an short chat with him about his experience and why he was standing. He came across as a pleasant man but not inspiring. Took a copy of his leaflet which was very different to the tory one. The Lib Dem leaflet is A4 folded in half lengthways on yellow paper printed in black & white, 5 photos (2 of the candidate, 3 of Nick Clegg and others), about half a side of large text inside, and a big graphic on the back about how the LibDem vote went up in 2005. Like the candidate, the leaflet is not inspiring.

Let's see how the first Leaders' TV debate goes tonight...