This is Kate Hoey's campaign headquarters for Vauxhall constituency. It's located on the site of the old Amici in Kennington, SE11 (which makes me wonder whether the old restaurant is no more). It's a bit dark as the photo was shot at night. I promised, "more later", so now I feel obliged to write something!
This shop is an astonishing declaration of intent, in the heart of Kennington. I'm lead to wonder whether any of the other parties have the budgets to set up shop front offices in central locations, such as these. Indeed, I feel the stirring of an impassioned rant about the weaknesses of first past the post voting systems emerging. I've no objection, per se, to campaign headquarters, but I sometimes wish that the platform for political expression was more level because I hardly think the Lib Dems or Greens could afford to do the same.
On the other hand, prominent campaign headquarters are certainly preferable to all of those nasty estate-agent style Tory boards that have appeared on Kennington Road and some of the squares in the area (photo taken by Labour's Jack Hopkins):
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Amici's moved last Autumn to the corner of Kennington Lane and Windmill row. (site of the much missed Painted Heron and then Franklins.) Same menu but slightly higher prices. http://www.amici-london.com/
Houman still controls the original site, so far as I'm aware, and was planning to open a Lebanese/Persian style cafe before Ms Hoey moved in. He also runs Il Duo Amici cafe next door to the Kennington Bookshop.
Kate Hoey had a campaign office last time out - on that little parade opposite the Fitzalan St bus stop on Kennington Rd. Might have been that place with all the sculpture and stonework?
Ahh, I think I know where you mean. That used to be a sort of Vauxhall Labour party general headquarters, but I don't know how long that was the case (maybe in the very long ago days when there was more money for that sort of thing and central London rents were lower).
After that, the shop front was plastered with "to rent" signs for a year. And then the sculpture/stonework guy moved in, but he has gone again and there is no tenant, as far as I know.
Amici focusing on new restaurant for now, but still have the building for their next venture. Suspect it was a cheap let for a short-term (better than nothing). I like Kate, though I know many old Labour/hard left hate her for flirting with Boris. You do have the option of voting Socialist (Green) in protest, whether they've a shopfront or not.
If wikipedia is correct: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
then constituents not only have the 4 main options of voting, red, yellow, green or blue. We also have the option to vote Socialist (GB) or Workers Party.
Consequently, we know that the chap standing for the Green Party is actually a socialist, and that there are two additional socialists standing in Vauxhall. As well as those three, there's a Labour politican standing too (although I don't think they count as socialists any more). Excluding the Lib Dems, and Tories, this gives all constituents a huge choice of left, left, left or left!
Welcome to Lambeth :-)
My understanding is that a number of the Tory stakeboard sites are Conservative MP's "second homes" paid for through the Parliamentary Allowances scheme.
Food for thought - given the capital gains some retiring members will be profiting from when they sell having elected to declare them as their primary residence for tax purposes.
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