I, along with Sue and a delegation from the Southport Liberal Democrats, attended a mega training day put on by Chris Davies our regional MEP. It was a great day, with lots of training events to keep us all up to date with the latest campaigning techniques and messages.
The highlight for me was listening to Andrew Stunell, MP for Hazel Grove and our party's Minister in Government for Communities and Local Government (pictured). He was also one of our negotiating MP's who helped to formulate the Coalition Government agreement.
The word 'revolutionary' is often overused in politics, but I think it can truly be applied to the localism agenda that will form a key feature of this Parliament.
Localism is all about decentralising and detaching the strangling tendrils of central Government. Its about realising that different areas have individual needs and priorities and that Whitehall diktats are not the best way to govern. One example of this was the Regional Spatial Strategies, housebuilding targets imposed from the centre on to communities. These gave no leeway to local opinion. RSS has now been abolished by the new government.
The concept of Localism is relevant to all of us. It will mean that town, parish and local Councils will all be able to have a say about local budgets and local services.
We need look no further locally than the stalemate over the Childrens Walk in Centre for Southport. Its clearly a service that local people want and need, yet nothing is happening.
There is nothing that will invoke electoral apathy than this sort of situation. You can understand why people are turned off voting if they think that they are powerless. This is even further entrenched if people also feel disillusioned with their ability to enact any change through their votes. Its not hard to see how people then think, ' well whats the point voting, I cant change anything can I?' Or, 'well, i really like that candidate and that party, but they cant win here, so my vote will just be a wasted one.'
A new and progressive politics has to challenge and eradicate the 'whats the point,' and 'why bother' attitudes that the Labour Government certainly didn't tackle. Localism and political reform in the shape of fairer votes, will truly radicalise the political system as we know it.
Next years referendum on introducing a better voting system will be an exciting opportunity, not just for Liberal Democrats, but for people who feel they dont have a voice.
Its time to shout loudly!
No comments:
Post a Comment