I said I wasn’t going to tell anyone how to vote this time around and I’m really not – but I’ve just been to the HIP HOT Hastings Hustings, and it was a really good one.

Thank you, HIP thank you, HOT. You can watch the whole thing here, or read my summary below…

There were some very interesting people on that platform, all of whom said Labour are going to win this election.

Nick Davies is standing for the Communist Party of Britain, and gave their excellent manifesto a good airing. Of course we need to renationalize water, energy and transport. Of course we need better schools, more social housing, rent controls and an end to the commercially directed war industry, of course we need politicians who will stand up for women’s spaces and women’s services and of course, we need politicians who do not tolerate genocide.

The Reform candidate reckoned we can’t stand up for the victims of war and climate crisis because our pensions aren’t high enough. I suppose there might be some logic there but I couldn’t find it.

Guy Harris standing for the Lib Dems was good on most of those issues but – well – remember the “I agree with Nick” general election, when Nick Clegg was making so much sense the Labour and Tory candidates were falling over themselves to agree with him – so lots of us voted Lib Dem, and Clegg went Tory on us.

I cheered and clapped a lot for the Green candidate – I like a lot of their policies but heck, the Green Party expelled another eight members just today, in their vicious vendetta against women’s rights. Pity – I really might have voted for her otherwise.

Phil Colley was super. Standing for the Workers’ Party of Britain, mainly because he felt the hustings needed a properly informed voice for Palestine, but he was also very good on the Southern Water fiasco, and on housing, education and workers’ rights.

He did his final round up with the two-cheeks line about Labour and the Tories and Nick had the last word, adding to his analogy that, as we live in a Southern Water area, that sure leaves you with buckets of shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…… and he reminded us once more that we have some good candidates to choose from here. Labour are going to win – easily – and as they’re now possibly even further to the insane right than the Tories, we are going to need a good opposition so, I agree with Nick. Choose your favourites from the small parties or the indies. The best we can do for now is to make sure we’re not stuck with a Tory/Reform opposition.

Congratulations Nick, Guy, Becca and Phil for giving us an excellent and thought-provoking evening. I will vote for one of you!

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