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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

How could the people of Bolsover vote out Dennis Skinner?

49 replies

TheWaiting · 13/12/2019 11:00

I don’t like the results but they were predictable. But Dennis Skinner? Really? This is a man who gave up his MP’s salary during the miners strike so his mining constituents didn’t starve! I didn’t vote labour and Skinner’s politics a bit left for me but FFS, for the people in that constituency to vote out that man.

OP posts:

AnnieOH1 · 13/12/2019 12:12

@ElfridaEtAl - I agree that there's still a huge hole in the community about the pits, but from what you've said I think it therefore can only be about people moving into the area. Look at how many homes have been built in the last, maybe 10-15 years; look at the numbers currently being built too. There's 600 on the hospital site, how many more are due to be built on Coalite. There's the huge development at Clowne too.

How many people too have passed on or moved away? How many locals are priced out of the new build market too?

There's a lot of outrage on a local level here in Bolsover town too about the spending mismatch within the district, whilst not specifically Skinner's fault perhaps people are ready for a change? (Swimming baths, hospital closure, council offices etc).

2017 saw a higher than expected number of votes for the Conservative candidate which should have served as a wake-up call for Dennis and the local Labour Party, but it clearly did not. It feels like on a local and national level, the party has misjudged their base due to a very vocal, what turns out to be, minority.

Lifecraft · 13/12/2019 13:00

He never should have stood. An 87 y/o with health issues cannot be an effective MP, regardless of what he's done in the past. His past record and principles are no good to someone who might need his help now, and he's to frail to assist them.

ChristmasCroissant · 13/12/2019 13:12

The Beast of Bolsover losing his seat was the (shock) result of the night for me, just edging out Jo Swinson (who has lost that seat before, so not totally outside the realm of possibility).

Just to echo PP, I'm not a fan of his politics but it's a big change for the constituency. His comment about rushing to make the 3.30pm race that made Black Rod grin will be repeated for years!

DarklyDreamingDexter · 13/12/2019 13:12

He’s 87, he’d be 92 by the next election. He’s quite frail by all accounts, too ill to attend the declaration. It would have been better for him if he’d bowed out gracefully. Sometimes people need saving from themselves.

Lifecraft · 13/12/2019 13:16

Lionel Messi has been a brilliant servant to Barcelona, thru his whole career, and won them loads of trophies. But I doubt they will keep playing him when he's 87. In a few years they'll kick him out, because he's too old, and no good anymore. What he's done in the past shouldn't stop that process. If you can't perform your job now, then you need to either resign or be sacked.

NellWilsonsWhiteHair · 13/12/2019 13:24

@TheWaiting
yes I do get that predicament. But we’re talking about a man who donated his salary so the families of miners could eat. So from a local perspective, I’m utterly flabbergasted.

Yeah, but voting needs to be about deciding the best government for the next five years, doesn’t it - rather than gratitude for what happened years ago, even if you remember it and even if you personally benefited from it.

Again - I am gutted for him (and indeed his constituency), but the electorate have to base their vote for a future government on the best info they have about that future government. If their fear is that a (very pro Brexit) Labour mp will help usher in a Labour Party with a more dubious Brexit policy, they’d be ill-advised to vote based on a sense of obligation for past personal kindnesses.

Politics doesn’t have to be as nasty as it currently is, but I think the brutality is inevitable and necessary.

mummmy2017 · 13/12/2019 13:31

I hope they offer him a Lordship, and he takes to acknowledge in history that he did so much good work.

MrsToothyBitch · 13/12/2019 15:21

I am a Tory voter (in the SE) but I have always respected Skinner's passion, belief and lack of smarm, as well as his record stretch in his seat, even if I disagree with him on principle on many issues. I'm 29 and also can't remember not being aware of who he is. It was the shock result of the election for me this morning and I was actually quite upset about it. I believe he truly cared & that is what makes a good MP, of any party.

I think a combo the Brexit vote, party/national issues & his lack of campaign probably unseated him - and perhaps he shouldn't have run. I am quite sad that he didn't make Father of the House though. He earned it .

TheQueef · 13/12/2019 15:39

Very sad to see a true politician lose.
He's admired and renown for his principles, I doubt we will see his like in parliament again.
He's done his shift, thank you Dennis.

reginafelangee · 13/12/2019 15:44

He is 89. Normally I say age is just a number but come on! From what I hear he doesn't attend much and isn't around cause he can't manage it anymore.

And why should people vote for him if they don't like that party he represents?

BovaryX · 13/12/2019 15:47

^Very sad to see a true politician lose.
He's admired and renown for his principles, I doubt we will see his like in parliament again^

I agree. An admirable politician with integrity and grace. I am sorry to see him lose his seat.

Fifthtimelucky · 13/12/2019 15:56

I'm sorry to see him go too. The place won't be the same without him.

Given his age and state of health I think it's a shame he didn't just stand down but I wonder whether he'd wanted to become 'Father of the House' and then planned to stand down after a couple of years.

I can't believe he'd accept a seat in the Lords.

andyoldlabour · 13/12/2019 16:06

First of all, I think Dennis Skinner is/was a fantastic politician a real Labour man.
Dennis voted to leave the EU.
His constituents voted to leave the EU.
If Corbyn had been elected, had Labour won, then the majority of Labour MP's would have probably got rid of Corbyn and tried to stop Brexit.

mateysmum · 13/12/2019 16:06

Another here who disagrees with his politics but hugely admires his long commitment to parliamentary democracy and his own principles. It will be strange not seeing him in his particular spot on the Labour benches making some cutting and often humorous remark.

But as others have commented above, this was an unusual election where the old tribal loyalties fell apart. In a changing constituency and his absence aged 87 due to ill health, it was enough for a seismic change.

I hope he recovers his health and enjoys his retirement, but somehow I don't see him descending into a quiet armchair and slippers life.

PhilSwagielka · 13/12/2019 16:07

Brexit. Even though he himself supports it.

DeathStare · 13/12/2019 16:10

He will be shunted off to the House of Lords

@Ringdonna @mummmy2017

He will absolutely not take a peerage. It goes against everything he has ever stood for.

NichyNoo · 13/12/2019 16:20

It's his way of retiring. If he stood down and didn't put himself up for re-election, he wouldn't have got the redundancy payment that he will now get. Sad to see him go, but at his age it's time to retire.

1066vegan · 13/12/2019 16:23

I'm another one who was completely shocked by this. It's very sad. I'm 52 and have been interested in politics for a long time; I can't remember a time without the Beast of Bolsover.

At least I've still got my Maid Marian book from the 1980s as a souvenir of his time in Pariament.

On a positive note, the Tory who beat him was speaking on the Today programme this morning and was very respectful. Some of them would have been gloating, but I really liked the way that he spoke about Dennis Skinner.

How could the people of Bolsover vote out Dennis Skinner?

kinsss · 13/12/2019 16:29

It is a sad day for him and his supporters no doubt and I admire his principles greatly.

However, there comes a time in life when going out on a high is the correct thing to do. I don't wish to sound in any way mean, but if he had stated that he would NOT be running this time around, he would have led a good and principled political life, and moved over for someone else.

Sometimes (as a pp said already), they need saving from themselves, and as we all are aware, all political life ends in failure.

Best of luck Mr. Skinner, hope your retirement is wonderful.

MrsToothyBitch · 13/12/2019 16:30

@1066vegan - I've also read one of his tributes to Dennis Skinner. Very respectful. I was touched.

ChachiChichi · 13/12/2019 16:38

I voted Skinner. It's such a shame. This article made for interesting reading though, and gets to the root of why so many long term labour constituencies fell to the tories. Sorry I lack the skills to make it a clicky link!

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/13/five-reasons-why-labour-lost-the-election

ChachiChichi · 13/12/2019 16:40

Ooo it is a clicky link, I've excelled myself!

Lifecraft · 13/12/2019 16:44

It's his way of retiring. If he stood down and didn't put himself up for re-election, he wouldn't have got the redundancy payment that he will now get.

What rubbish. His pension, after this long as an MP, will be fantastic. If what you're saying is true, he stood, hoping he would lose, so he could retire with extra cash and let the Tory win.

Yeah..that sounds just like him.....FFS!!!!

randomchap · 13/12/2019 17:12

This article is a couple of years old but is still pretty valid.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39973990

If I remember correctly Sportsdirect received an EU grant to try to rejuvenate the area with the massive warehouse. Instead of employing the locals, they bought in hundreds of EU workers. It's this migration that has pushed the anti-EU narrative in the area.

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