Six weeks of media coverage, six weeks of politicians seeking attention and it will all boil down to whether you vote tomorrow or not.
The first thing to remember is that modern politicians love a low turnout – they don’t have to work so hard and it means that a pot of money or influence from a trades union, a fat cat millionaire or a special interest group can make the difference between winning and losing.
High turnouts may not give the decision you want, but is it proper democracy – look at the bloody nose that a high turnout in France gave Monsieur Macron and the ensuing panic in the political classes. Let’s shake up the establishment and get back what we have lost.
Sutton Independents’ great campaigner, Cllr Nick Mattey has already been expressing local concerns about the Liberal Democrat candidate selection. Like many of the main political parties, whether a MP is resident in their constituency and truly committed to their local area seems an irrelevance.
In Carshalton and Wallington, we have one genuine local candidate, born, bred and educated in the Borough – Elliot Colburn – but he’s attacked for being Conservative!
Better Labour’s Hersh Thaker? With an election record of 6th place and failure to get elected as even a Councillor on Leicester City Council – what was wrong with someone like committed local Labour Councillor Dave Tchil from Hackbridge – at least he truly understands local issues.
And let’s just look at Elliot’s Liberal Democrat opponent – “this is my home” his latest leaflet states yet in 2019 Ladywell Live in the Lewisham Deptford area had this quote from him
Bobby says: “I’m honoured to be selected to stand in Lewisham Deptford once again. …..Lewisham residents demand better on the economy, health, crime and education. The Liberal Democrats are the party ready to deliver.”
Local? Really?
If the polls are to be believed, then Labour are a shoe in to be the next Government – those of us around to see Neil Kinnock’s triumphalism fall flat against a very grey John Major know there is no guarantee. But if you accept that the next Government is not likely to see Rishi Sunak or Sir Ed Davey in Downing Street, think about your LOCAL area.
We need a pair of MP’s who will hold the local authority to account, we need to buck the trend and elect genuinely local people to represent us in Westminster.