From Tim B

Sunday, 10 May 2015

Every time I've asked him to vote in a way that represents my opinions he's voted the other way. He can't go soon enough for me.

From Eleanor Land

Sunday, 10 May 2015

Given his recent appalling behaviour on Twitter for which he has made no apology, I remain convinced that Craig Whittaker is not the type of person who should be representing us in parliament.

From Andrew B

Tuesday, 12 May 2015

Congratulations from me too. Craig, along with his constituency and parliamentary office staff have always been approachable and wherever able to, helpful.

With regards to Twitter, my personal views are that a mountain was made out of a molehill, by mainly leftwing voters to try and reduce his vote share. Craig read an article and clicked 'tweet' on the article, that Tweets the article and the headline. It wasn't his personal comments, possibly not his views, but I don't see that any apology is needed for tweeting an article that is already in the public domain.

People may disagree with the government we have in power, but we all knew how the system worked prior to the election and our local area got the MP that the majority showed they wanted.

From Jess Fowle

Tuesday, 12 May 2015

With 43.6% of the vote, it's not true to say to say our local area has got the MP that the majority showed they wanted.

The majority wanted showed they wanted someone else.

From Ian M

Wednesday, 13 May 2015

I disagree. The result shows that the most popular candidate clearly won the election, if more people wanted Josh Fenton Glynn as their MP they would or should have voted for him.

The last Labour administration was elected on 36% of the vote, are you suggesting their victory was illegitimate as well?

From Kez Armitage

Wednesday, 13 May 2015

I'd like to add my congratulations to Craig Whitaker. I've never had any problems with him. Any emails and letters I've sent have always been answered swiftly and efficiently. The answers haven't always been what I've wanted to hear, but surely that's always going to be the case in politics.

And no, he wasn't the choice for the majority of people in the ward, but, that said, he got more votes than any other candidate. And that, like it or loathe it, is the electoral system we have. And if you loathe it - and I fall into that camp - then perhaps we ought to lend our support to that concept that both major parties fear and hate - proportional representation. Sadly, that's unlikely to happen for at least ten years, if ever.

What we really don't like, and I believe it must be fought vehemently, is this business of people 'trading' their votes in marginal constituencies. Looking at Hebweb, it seems to have been a Labour / Green initiative (as it is, totally futile, for even if all the Greens had voted Labour, it wouldn't have made a difference). If vote trading becomes the norm, then the rules apply equally to the right wing parties as well as the left, so it could work both ways. And it seems to rely on a 'my word is my bond' ethos. Cynic that I am, I wonder if less honorable people could use the system to their advantage, by promising one thing, and then voting in a different way. This will not have gone unnoticed by the political parties.

So we've got Craig Whitaker for another five years. You may hate the prospect, and I don't blame you. But hey, that's democracy for you!

From Andy M

Saturday, 16 May 2015

I'd like to add my congratulations to CW on his re-election:

Congratulations on being in the right place at the right time for the triumph of the right-wing media's mendacious and cynical disinformation campaign.

Congratulations on being being re-elected by finding that delicate balance between being inactive and towing the party line at all times.

Takes some doing.....

From Susan C

Wednesday, 27 May 2015

Disgraceful tweet; lack of thought, lack of insight and empathy into the suffering experienced for decades and lack of self awareness in judging that people may find the remark even remotely funny. Not the things I look for or value in an elected member.