English Chess Forum

Nominations closed yesterday.

The excellent resource at https://candidates.democracyclub.org.uk ... 08/parties gives details of all the candidates, so it's time to start spotting people whom we know.

As a mark of club loyalty, I am starting with the President and Secretary of Mushrooms Chess Club:

"Bill Linton is standing [for the Green Party] in Enfield North."

But the one which intrigued me was:

"Michael Basman is standing [as an Independent] in Kingston and Surbiton"

Harry Lamb is also standing for UKIP again.

Matt Mackenzie wrote:Harry Lamb is also standing for UKIP again.

Yes, in my constituency again; it will be interesting to see if he does well enough to get our MP re-elected

Not a chess player as far as I know but an unusual name: https://candidates.democracyclub.org.uk/person/34170

LawrenceCooper wrote:Not a chess player as far as I know but an unusual name: https://candidates.democracyclub.org.uk/person/34170

No doubt he will provide a bird's eye view of proceedings. He might join this forum - he will find us a good crowd.

LawrenceCooper wrote:Not a chess player as far as I know but an unusual name: https://candidates.democracyclub.org.uk/person/34170

Not hard for him to be a better player than the defending incumbent for that seat, tbf.

Rachael Reeves' younger sister Ellie is standing for Labour in Lewisham West & Penge. Luckily I am not quite there so do not have to find out if she played chess, as her sister did.

Edited: to add an apostrophe and West

And another thing - there's always one, and another one, and another... but I'll leave it at this one - Mrs. May has had the temerity to say she will not raise VAT but, as sure as Brexit means Brexit, and if Brexit is to mean anything she should be cutting VAT, because, because, because, because -

https://fullfact.org/europe/does-uk-pay ... eu-budget/

I'll vote for the party, or the independent ("Michael Basman is standing [as an Independent] in Kingston and Surbiton" source - the ever-reliable David Sedgwick), prepared to stand and deliver the VAT dividend.

We can discuss how big a VAT cut that VAT cut should be, but should not listen to what Diane Abbot figures - since, as we all well know, that'll be way too low.

Ellie Reeves played a bit as a junior, she wasn't as strong as her sister.

David Sedgwick wrote:But the one which intrigued me was:

"Michael Basman is standing [as an Independent] in Kingston and Surbiton"

It costs hard cash to stand doesn't it, as if you don't get enough votes you "lose your deposit"; wonder what the Trustee in Bankruptcy thinks of that?

Does it matter whether the money goes to HMRC via bankruptcy or as a lost deposit to the Govt?

Here's some info about deposits -

http://www.democraticaudit.com/2013/10/ ... t-parties/

John McKenna wrote:Does it matter whether the money goes to HMRC via bankruptcy or as a lost deposit to the Govt?

Here's some info about deposits -

http://www.democraticaudit.com/2013/10/ ... t-parties/

From the link provided by John:

"Those precluded from standing for election to Parliament, defined by the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, as amended, include members of the police and armed forces, serving civil servants and judges, members of the House of Lords and those declared bankrupt.

Interesting.

David Sedgwick wrote: From the link provided by John:

"Those precluded from standing for election to Parliament, defined by the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, as amended, include members of the police and armed forces, serving civil servants and judges, members of the House of Lords and those declared bankrupt.

The document
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/_ ... ection.pdf
has this to say

1.8
Bankruptcy in itself is not a disqualification. You are, however, disqualified if:

• you are currently subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order or debt relief restrictions order made by a court in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or
•your estate has been sequestrated by a court in Scotland and you have not been discharged

1.9
If a person has been adjudged bankrupt by a court in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or is subject to an interim bankruptcy restrictions order, they are not disqualified on that basis, as long as they are not also currently subject to any of
the particular bankruptcy disqualifications listed

Being bankrupt isn't an automatic disqualification.

Let's hope the Kingstonian candidate took legal advice and no Russian slush money before standing.

There's some discussion of this here.