Let's Get Political!

[Reg Smeeton]

LIBRARY?! THAT'S FUCKING BOOK COMMUNISM 

This article tells you what the local Tories think of libraries...

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/09/swindons-libraries-closures-60-per-cent-cuts

[pauld]

Well, it's one way of getting Johnson to keep control of his Johnson I suppose:

[horlock07]

Is there a mechanism by which a Prince can resign?

https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/prince-andrew-rohan-silva-language-a4289571.html

[Nemo]

Is there a mechanism by which a Prince can resign?

https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/prince-andrew-rohan-silva-language-a4289571.html

I think they can be struck from the civil list, but my evidence for that is Blackadder III, so it may not be the cunning plan I'd hoped it might be.

[horlock07]

You can say what you want about the bloke, he's a busy bugger!

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/18/boris-johnson-jennifer-arcuri-investigation-to-review-affair-with-another-woman

Not sure how he can fit the time needed to be PM in with all his extra curricular activities.

[pauld]

You can say what you want about the bloke, he's a busy bugger!

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/18/boris-johnson-jennifer-arcuri-investigation-to-review-affair-with-another-woman

Not sure how he can fit the time needed to be PM in with all his extra curricular activities.

The same way he managed when he was mayor of London and Foreign Secretary - by not bothering to do the job properly. He's notoriously lazy.

[pauld]

Just a reminder, because I'm sure Gove will want people to remember what he thinks of people pushed into poverty by his government's austerity policies:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2416737/Michael-Gove-food-banks-Poor-got-blame.html

[Reg Smeeton]

Just a reminder, because I'm sure Gove will want people to remember what he thinks of people pushed into poverty by his government's austerity policies:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2416737/Michael-Gove-food-banks-Poor-got-blame.html

That was Gove 6 years ago.... the Tories have moved much further to the right since.... it'll be a return of the workhouse next for the undeserving poor.

[pauld]

That was Gove 6 years ago.... the Tories have moved much further to the right since.... it'll be a return of the workhouse next for the undeserving poor.

Or just straight to Soylent Green?

[BambooToTheFuture]

Reg, totally unrelated but it is political, have you ever stood as a councillor elect?

I often wonder why more people don't, especially locally. When you look at results in many wards, to obtain a seat often only takes the convincing of around 750 - 1000 votes. I always see that as a pretty low benchmark but shows how with pretty minimal influence, one could become an elected member of the LA.

Should that be dangerously scary or very encouraging? For if someone is serious about their politics and views then this is an achievable scenario, no?

[Reg Smeeton]

Reg, totally unrelated but it is political, have you ever stood as a councillor elect?

I often wonder why more people don't, especially locally. When you look at results in many wards, to obtain a seat often only takes the convincing of around 750 - 1000 votes. I always see that as a pretty low benchmark but shows how with pretty minimal influence, one could become an elected member of the LA.

Should that be dangerously scary or very encouraging? For if someone is serious about their politics and views then this is an achievable scenario, no?

For some years, I was involved in local politics, also Trade Unionism. My grandfather was a local councilor for 35 years, people used to say to me, that I should stand, but I knew it wasn't me. 

I'm particularly bad at meetings, committees etc, can live with the odd one or two every so often, but I've always preferred being an outsider, free to think what I want.

However, I did help to get elected several people who did want a crack at it which was interesting.

Having kids and work got in the way, and I reduced my effort to being a school governor for some years, then gave that up.

[BambooToTheFuture]

For some years, I was involved in local politics, also Trade Unionism. My grandfather was a local councilor for 35 years, people used to say to me, that I should stand, but I knew it wasn't me. 

I'm particularly bad at meetings, committees etc, can live with the odd one or two every so often, but I've always preferred being an outsider, free to think what I want.

However, I did help to get elected several people who did want a crack at it which was interesting.

Having kids and work got in the way, and I reduced my effort to being a school governor for some years, then gave that up.

Thanks for the insight. Back to my main question though, does it not seem like a very low number needed to gain a councillor seat?

If one maintains that edge of local popularity and is visible/approachable too then retaining the seat becomes fairly easy every four years. Not talking about gaining any control but just keeping a seat (most wards have around 3 seats up for grabs). It seems a very small target and not too much convincing of electorate to do so. For once - 3rd place can be quite an attractive proposition if politics is the bag of choice.

[Reg Smeeton]

Thanks for the insight. Back to my main question though, does it not seem like a very low number needed to gain a councillor seat?

If one maintains that edge of local popularity and is visible/approachable too then retaining the seat becomes fairly easy every four years. Not talking about gaining any control but just keeping a seat (most wards have around 3 seats up for grabs). It seems a very small target and not too much convincing of electorate to do so. For once - 3rd place can be quite an attractive proposition if politics is the bag of choice.

Depending on wards, turnout is usually quite low, but also turnover of Councillors tends to be quite high.

Depending on the party calibre of candidate can vary, you get some who see it as a way of ending up as MP.... Tomlinson for example, some who do it for the expenses, and some who do it out of a sense of civic duty.

So if you find a nice safe ward, then yes you can be sat there with your feet up.... my ward used to be a 3 three way marginal which made it interesting.... part of our motivation was to try and oust the couple of sitting Tory councillors, which we achieved and they've never come back.

I did laugh though when we got rid of the Tory leader, he promptly got himself selected for a safe ward, by ousting the previous sitting councillor for selection to stand at the next rotation.

[REDBUCK]

Depending on wards, turnout is usually quite low, but also turnover of Councillors tends to be quite high.

Depending on the party calibre of candidate can vary, you get some who see it as a way of ending up as MP.... Tomlinson for example, some who do it for the expenses, and some who do it out of a sense of civic duty.

So if you find a nice safe ward, then yes you can be sat there with your feet up.... my ward used to be a 3 three way marginal which made it interesting.... part of our motivation was to try and oust the couple of sitting Tory councillors, which we achieved and they've never come back.

I did laugh though when we got rid of the Tory leader, he promptly got himself selected for a safe ward, by ousting the previous sitting councillor for selection to stand at the next rotation.

So did you get anything done or just spend the time claiming expenses and playing party politics :-)

[BambooToTheFuture]

Depending on wards, turnout is usually quite low, but also turnover of Councillors tends to be quite high.

So if you find a nice safe ward, then yes you can be sat there with your feet up.... my ward used to be a 3 three way marginal which made it interesting.... part of our motivation was to try and oust the couple of sitting Tory councillors, which we achieved and they've never come back.

Yes turnouts are lowish at around 35% of roughly 6-7k
electorate on average per ward. The high Councillor turnover I'd say is more down to the system of 1/3rds.

In some ways in reference to "feet up", I probably mean the number of Independents who have obtained a non controlling seat recently. I would say it could be a common picture for the foreseeable. 650+ seats gained if memory searches back to earlier this year, took it to above 1k. For Indys to hold a 1/10th of seats across the wards nationally is pretty impressive. With public disillusion in politics, comes opportunity.

I imagine the politics within local politics can be very interesting/frustrating/revealing for those involved "properly".