Local Politics Versus Party Politics

Cllr Tom Bates

I came across this interesting quote from a Councillor Tom Bates on the interweb:

Too many councillors make decisions they know are not the right choice but do so simply because they have been ordered to by the political parties they happen to represent. I firmly believe local councillors have a duty to put the interests of local residents  before the interests of political parties. 

Sounds very much akin to what Third Positionists have been saying since the 80s.

The whole 'party system' with its whips to keep its members voting on party lines, often to obey vested interests and not local peoples' interests, has long been a con.

As long as objective truth is not turned on its head (e.g. one cannot vote that faggotry is correct, coloured immigration beneficial or similar -- but these shouldn't normally come into local politics anyway), then local councillors should not be parts of political party machinery because keeping local parks open, funding libraries, caring for schools and keeping the streets clean does not require an ideology per se, it requires that local councillors do what local tax-payers ask them to do!

If a Labour Council leader obeys a Labour Party ruling and votes against the interests of local people, then that leaves any pretence of "democracy" dead in the water. If local representatives (who should truly represent) want to join bodies, they should form tradesmen guilds or similar to defend the interests of local businesses etc. Third Positionists have also long argued that local politicians should be recallable if they go against the interests of local communities -- making them truly accountable to the people.

You not only do not need political parties in local politics, but they undermine local politics, setting up voting blocs, covering up sleaze and tit-for-tat decisions etc.

So well done Cllr Bates. If only some Tories, Labour and Libs would follow his example...