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Battle is for second place

Rachel Buller and Steve Downs

Eastern Daily Press, Norfolk

Wednesday 16 May 2001

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Norwich South is shaping up to be one of the most colourful campaigns in Norfolk, with six candidates lining up.

But it would take a staggering 14 per cent swing for Labour's Charles Clarke, who has been tipped for a post in a future Blair Cabinet, to be ousted from the seat he secured with a 14,000-plus majority in 1997.

The high-flying Home Office minister's profile is greater than ever and it looks like a battle for second spot - though there could be some political punches landed along the way.

Mr Clarke won Norwich South in 1997 with 26,267 votes against the Conservative challenger, Bashir Khanbhai, who polled 12,028 votes and went on to become a Euro--MP for the eastern region. Third place went to the Liberal-Democrat Andrew Aalders--Dunthorne who won 9457 votes.

While no candidate will admit publicly that first place is a distant dream, the real battle is expected to be for second place as the liberal Democrats attempt to make up a 2500 deficit on the Conservatives.

Mr Aalders-Dunthorne will be hoping for better luck second time round to overturn the Conservative's small lead by polling more votes than Andrew French and making ground on Charles Clarke.

Adrian Holmes, from the Green Party, will also be hoping to gain some ground on his fellow candidates by concentrating on issues such as traffic congestion - a subject which is certain to attract a lot of support from those living and working in the city centre.

Mr Clarke will certainly face some vociferous opposition from Dave Manningham, one of 170 Socialist Alliance candidates who are standing "against right-wing New Labour MPs".

And the contrast between Mr Clarke, a law-and-order champion, and Alun Buffry from the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, could be intriguing.

Especially as Mr Buffry admits he has spent time in prison for smuggling cannabis.

The constituency covers a wide area of the city from the centre out into the leafy suburbs of Eaton.

There are likely to be a number of issues which come into play before polling day, ranging from public transport to health and education.

 

 

 

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