Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

[Arran]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

In bygone decades ballot slips did not list the names of the parties. Just the names of the candidates. Therefore if you wanted to vote Conservative in Wolverhampton South West then you had to know that the name of the candidate was John Enoch Powell.

[George 1978]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

Also, I remember Oaten wanted to put "Liberal Democrat - leader Paddy Ashdown" in his description in order to avoid confusion with his Literal Democrat candidate.

[George 1978]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

There were lots of 'one man and his dog' parties in the 1997 general election. This resulted in the creation of a register of political parties.

Does anybody remember the Literal Democrat Mark Here to Win and the Liberal Democrat Top Choice for Parliament from Winchester?

You're thinking of Mark Oaten who was opposed by a Literal Democrat candidate in Winchester who won with just 640 votes, and the Lit Dems had got over 10,000 votes in the European Elections in 1999 - the Lib Dems complained to the Electoral Commission and they soon launched a rule that party descriptions cannot be too confusing or similar to existing names. Oaten won over incumbent Conservative candidate Gerry Malone with a majority of just two votes.

The by-election was rerun with the Literal Democrat candidate just getting 59 votes, and the Lib Dem candidate getting nearly 10,000 more votes - Lord Sutch was a candidate in that one as well. And Arthur Pendragon had stood in the same seat in 2005.

[Arran]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

There were lots of 'one man and his dog' parties in the 1997 general election. This resulted in the creation of a register of political parties.

Does anybody remember the Literal Democrat Mark Here to Win and the Liberal Democrat Top Choice for Parliament from Winchester?

[George 1978]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

Somehow I have a feeling that David Icke stood for the Ecology Party/Green Party on the Isle of Wight (whose inhabitants go to Portsmouth for the cultural life). But that was before his - shall we say - messianic phase. Did he stand in by-elections after he left the Greens?

He didn't stand on the Isle of Wight but he lived there for many years. He stood in that David Davis by-election in 2008 with the slogan "The Big Picture". He was identified as "No Label" on the ballot paper.

UKIP have had a few "characters" over the years as well - a lot of them wanting to be London Mayor candidate or something like that.

Aaron Barschak is another one that comes to mind of course, although that was after the 1990s.

There was a man who changed his name by Deed Poll to Mr Blobby to stand in a 1995 by-election.

[Silver Bear]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

Independent Local Radio was another idea of his, along with pubs open all day.

IIRC he was part of the Student's Union Party before founding the Monster Raving Loony Party.

Both Monty Python & Blackadder managed to get some good jokes about candidates like him.

... So we can blame him for LBC and 'Call Nigel Farage'. ... It'll be 'Ca-all Je-re-my Cor-byn' next.

On a less flippant note, I didn't know about the Student's Union Party but I agree that Screaming Lord Sutch was a man ahead of his time and should be rated far more highly than he has been.

[Silver Bear]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

I would have even regarded the Green Party and its predecessor the Ecology Party as being eccentric in many ways. David Icke automatically comes to mind when he was their spokesman, and of course he has stood in by-elections a lot later.

And admittedly, the Conservative Party has had support from quite a few famous people who are, shall we say, unique. A combination of famous people mentioned as supporters had once been referred to as "dinner party from hell".

Somehow I have a feeling that David Icke stood for the Ecology Party/Green Party on the Isle of Wight (whose inhabitants go to Portsmouth for the cultural life). But that was before his - shall we say - messianic phase. Did he stand in by-elections after he left the Greens?

Another footballer who had 'visions' was Glenn Hoddle, who adopted a a crude interpretation of karma and claimed that disabled people were being punished for their previous lives.

[George 1978]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

I would have even regarded the Green Party and its predecessor the Ecology Party as being eccentric in many ways. David Icke automatically comes to mind when he was their spokesman, and of course he has stood in by-elections a lot later.

And admittedly, the Conservative Party has had support from quite a few famous people who are, shall we say, unique. A combination of famous people mentioned as supporters had once been referred to as "dinner party from hell".

[Richard1978]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

There's a great story there, Marc. When the "Loonies" beat the rump SDP (which had refused to merge with the Liberals), Screaming Lord Sutch rang up David Owen and suggested a merger. Apparently Owen just put the 'phone down on him.

He was far saner than he let on (Sutch that is, not Owen). He advocated votes at 18 (when the voting age was still 21) and later an equal age of consent for gay men. He was as you say more widely feared by the establishment politicians than they ever let on. Like many comedians, he suffered from depression: I think he could probably be described as bipolar. This led to his tragic early death.

In Liverpool, by the way, there's still a rump Liberal Party which refuses to merge with the Fib Dems. They still have a few Council seats.

Independent Local Radio was another idea of his, along with pubs open all day.

IIRC he was part of the Student's Union Party before founding the Monster Raving Loony Party.

Both Monty Python & Blackadder managed to get some good jokes about candidates like him.

[Silver Bear]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

'Rainbow George' Weiss of Hampstead had a 'Vote for Yourself Party' and sometimes stood in several constituencies at once.

[Silver Bear]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

Screaming Lord Sutch, now that brings back memories of the 1980s.

Not the looney has people and the press portray. His main aim was to lampoon the main political parties. One of his best known policies was to put the Houses of Parliament on wheels, and transport it around the country. Some of his lunatic policies are now coming to fruition, 20 mph speed limits.

The Bootle by election on 24 May 1990, was their finest moment. They had more votes than the Social Democrat Party candidate. This was effectively the end of the S.D.P.. In the report that followed, Lord Sutch seemed shocked at the outcome.

Screaming Lord Sutch was not the Looney he was portrayed has. He was tea total. Before any election his party was standing in, he would hold a concert to offset the loss of his deposit etc.

When he sadly committed suicide, it left a deep void in politics. Many independent candidates, and some major political party candidates, would feel a cold shiver down their back when he appeared.

There's a great story there, Marc. When the "Loonies" beat the rump SDP (which had refused to merge with the Liberals), Screaming Lord Sutch rang up David Owen and suggested a merger. Apparently Owen just put the 'phone down on him.

He was far saner than he let on (Sutch that is, not Owen). He advocated votes at 18 (when the voting age was still 21) and later an equal age of consent for gay men. He was as you say more widely feared by the establishment politicians than they ever let on. Like many comedians, he suffered from depression: I think he could probably be described as bipolar. This led to his tragic early death.

In Liverpool, by the way, there's still a rump Liberal Party which refuses to merge with the Fib Dems. They still have a few Council seats.

[Silver Bear]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

I think I remember the Natural Law Party got a party political or election broadcast sometime in the 90s. They were standing in enough constituencies to qualify for one or something like that.

I think they might have stood practically everywhere at some point in the 1990s. Somewhere I heard that they paid people to stand.

[Silver Bear]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

I remember the Natural Law being mentioned in the media a lot in the early 1990s but never seemed to make any headway & faded away.

I've noticed a lot of fringe parties aim for a niche area of politics, but if one of the mainstream parties start to occupy that niche the smaller ones don't have a chance.

Oh yes, the Natural Law Party. They were disciples of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Beatles' onetime guru. They believed that the world could be saved by 'yogic flying' and their manifesto included replacing the Army with a kind of spiritual SAS: a crack regiment of yogic flyers. They were extremely wealthy and owned a vast mansion in the Chilterns called Mentor Towers, but the political venture cost them a lot in lost deposits.

The Maharishi's followers also have a centre in Skelmersdale where they fly in a yogic manner and claim to send waves of positive energy out from Skem to as far away as Yorkshire (I watched a documentary about this several years ago). The yogic flying looked like bouncing up and down with legs crossed but what do I know?

[staffslad]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

I remember the Natural Law being mentioned in the media a lot in the early 1990s but never seemed to make any headway & faded away.

I've noticed a lot of fringe parties aim for a niche area of politics, but if one of the mainstream parties start to occupy that niche the smaller ones don't have a chance.

I think I remember the Natural Law Party got a party political or election broadcast sometime in the 90s. They were standing in enough constituencies to qualify for one or something like that.

[marc]

Re: Eccentric election candidates/political parties in the 70s/80s

Screaming Lord Sutch, now that brings back memories of the 1980s.

Not the looney has people and the press portray. His main aim was to lampoon the main political parties. One of his best known policies was to put the Houses of Parliament on wheels, and transport it around the country. Some of his lunatic policies are now coming to fruition, 20 mph speed limits.

The Bootle by election on 24 May 1990, was their finest moment. They had more votes than the Social Democrat Party candidate. This was effectively the end of the S.D.P.. In the report that followed, Lord Sutch seemed shocked at the outcome.

Screaming Lord Sutch was not the Looney he was portrayed has. He was tea total. Before any election his party was standing in, he would hold a concert to offset the loss of his deposit etc.

When he sadly committed suicide, it left a deep void in politics. Many independent candidates, and some major political party candidates, would feel a cold shiver down their back when he appeared.