So. My approval as PPC (prospective parliamentary candidate) has coincided with two councillors in Adur deciding that they wanted to be Liberal Democrats not Conservatives; while I wish I could claim the credit it for it, the truth is that Gavin and Carl each decided they felt more at home being liberal than being conservative. People making their own decisions without armtwisting or badgering is intrinsically liberal – we really do believe people are capable of making up their own minds, rather than us deciding for them!
Defectors always get treated badly by the party they leave: that’s only to be expected in party-driven politics. Still, it’s been sad to see the bile that has come out of some Tory mouths over our two new members, and some of it sadly twisted to fit the Tory view of the world. Gavin and Carl may not have been to many meetings recently, but why go to a group meeting when you’re told how to vote? And why go to a council meeting when there are enough people who have accepted being told how to vote to outvote you in any case?
I’m satisfied that we’ve got two new members who are keen to work for their wards and communities; and I’m hoping that we can help them do well in the council elections next year.
Thanks for the comments — apologies that I’ve only just seen them!
Really James, you know full well the Conservatives deselected these two Councillors for poor attendance. You surprise me that the Lib-Dems are happy with two Tory rejects ?
Well Fred, that’s inaccurate, as no doubt you know. Gavin had told the Conservatives he didn’t want to be considered for reselection, and Carl had neither been selected nor deselected – Adur Conservatives hadn’t got as far as that in their selection process.
Carl was open with me that he would probably have been deselected for poor attendance. So let’s look at that, shall we? One of the key complaints against the Adur Tory group is that there is no internal democracy, the leadership tell the backbenchers what has been decided and how to vote. And I’;ve heard this from councillors who are still in the Tory group, as well as Carl and Gavin! So, why should Carl, or any other councillor interested in representing their community, bother with such meetings?
The Tories – including you, Fred – are obviously upset about the defections. That’s understandable. But saying that Gavin and Carl are lazy misses the point about the ineffectiveness of the ruling Tories in Adur. And the proof wll be in the eagerness of the two councillors to work hard as Liberal Democrats. They haven’t disappointed so far
Hello James
A fair enough reply and thank you for prompt answers.
Hello James
Surely this is a bit OTT ? Read the text in the pictures.
http://bobsmytherman.mycouncillor.org.uk/tory-watch/
Fred, I’m approving this comment purely for this reason: to suggest you discuss any problems you have with Bob Smytherman’s blogging with him, not with me. Future comments like this willl be disregarded. Happy New Year to you too!
The question of our poor roads in Sussex has been represented in Parliament.
http://www.worthingconservatives.org.uk/index.php?sectionid=3&pagenumber=98
Well, it’s been represented in a letter from the MP to the constituency on his website; nothing in there about raising it in parliament!
Oooops, copied the wrong link off their site
http://www.worthingconservatives.org.uk/index.php?sectionid=101
Hello James
Surely this must concern you ? I have written to Cllr Donin as my Ward Councillor expressing concern from a residents point of view and …..how the public will see the Council as a whole.
http://www.worthingconservatives.org.uk/index.php?sectionid=1&pagenumber=57
Paul has his view of course. Ours is different.
Very good James, everything written strictly in accordance with the Lib-Dem book of ‘Effective Opposition?
If you have a copy, could you please let me read it: I have been told it is only available to your members.
Peter B
All my own work, peter, all my own work.
I presume you want to read up on Effective Opposition because you’re expecting another five years of it at Westminster? I’ll let Paul Yallop have a copy if I get one, as he muight be needing it too…
James
Just found what I think Peter Bottomley MP is referring to.
Suspect the Lib-Dems are in deep doo-doo when this link becomes public !
http://www.nastylibdems.org/2010/01/lib-dem-campaign-guide-be-wicked-act.html
Are you sure you’re the author ?
Fred
Sadly the behaviours described at that link, Fred, apply to most parties in most countries in the democratic world. That someone has bothered to put it in writing in order to smear the smaller of the three parties suggests an odd fear of principled ideology… (he says playfully discounting the possibility that it is real).
I was discussing with some non-British Europeans only last night how political parties try to obtain power regardless of the opinions of the people who vote for them.
My naive opinion, though, is that the Liberal Democrat view is actually the view of most people, they just haven’t had a conversation about it yet!
I’ve not bothered to try to find a link because I’m not sure one even exists. Perhaps this is the reason: Playing dirty comes naturally to the others?! I jest, of course.
The Conservatives in opposition in Brighton & Hove did not behave as I would have hoped — they acted as if everything was a political issue and chose the side they thought the majority agreed with; I cite the Gehry building.