Well if only….. What a disastrous (putting it mildly) state of affairs ‘Whittlesey’ has reached….many would have read in the local press some of the ‘going on’ – but this is only a very small part of the situation.
Ex FDC leader ‘off’ to Conservative HQ to seek advice.
I am knocking the system that the Conservatives have brought upon themselves….
That’s up to them and as they have found to their costs… I’m having a go at what it means for local democracy – and I’ll explain in more detail.
Selecting would be candidates (If you belong to a political group that is) should be a ‘serious affair’ on all parties involved, be it the candidates or the selection caucus.
Cllr S. Tierney (Wisbech)
This ‘should ideally’ be by local candidates and by local members to a group.
Whittlesey has found itself – (Whittlesey caucus) choosing a candidate only to be overturned by the wider Fenland caucus.
It’s like me choosing would be candidates in Wisbech (for example) – I know very little about Wisbech or its politicians – a short interview and Bingo I’ve been selected.
Surely in any local political group – selection should be done by ‘Local members’ who probably know a lot more about their prospective candidates than those from miles away.
The caucus – has chosen one candidate who lives in Whittlesey and wants to stand in ‘his’ old area, Christchurch – that’s 20+ miles away – Okay it’s his ‘old’ ward area – but once you move away from an area (20+ miles) you tend to loose touch and contact with local going-on.
So where does this now lead too – well its my understanding (please correct me if I am wrong) that not only are the Conservatives ‘struggling’ (I could say desperate) to find suitable candidates, but the local Labour party is in exactly the same situation.
Only (2) ex Councillors penned in to probably stand in next Mays local elections.
Lib-Dems even worse and low and behold a single UKIP candidate still on the horizon.
Not enough space and time to write about The’ Martin Curtis’ – factor but this has caused great upsets – again locally, when he was selected to stand in the village ward of Coates.
I’ll cover this in the future – but being an ‘old’ Coates boy and have friends live there, I have the feeling that MC (irrespective of his campaigning skills) will not find it ‘a walkover’ in this ward.
Finally if discontent is an understatement – although in front all seems happy business as usual –
Not so – several – (I mean more than one) threatening to relinquish their political union and ‘possibly’ stand as an Independent – We will see ‘if’ that happens –
I welcome that. – I am on my own – Independent is my stand.
Have a good (cold) weekend.
