Tag: #Rother

How ‘Independent’ are these Independent candidates? …

A question that mysteriously rattles and bothers them whenever I ask.

The canvassing circus is rolling here in Bexhill-On-Sea and we seem to have a choice of ‘Independent’ candidates. Various separate but ‘independent’ groups have formed and taken different ‘independent’ corners to pitch for our votes … (And they say Party Politics is Tribal?!)

In the May 2019 District Council elections the ‘Independents’ did very well, capitalising on the tired public’s disdain and distrust of the major political parties. Pinning the ‘independent’ rosette onto your lapel is one thing, but what are your true colours?  

I ask one simple question of each group and each individual candidate …

“Who did you vote for in recent General Elections?“

You see, to me (and i’m sure most voters if they stop to think), this is a very valid and important question.

I’m assuming that all ‘Independents’ believe in democracy? (despite just 1,710 of the 45,000 residents voting in favour of a Town/Parish Council in 2020) … therefore you ‘DO’ vote and not abstain? One must assume, yes?!

So, who do you ‘independents’ vote for? 

This surely is a fair question to ask those who hold, or hope to hold an important position in public office. Transparency is vital for public confidence and councillors have to declare all sorts of vested interests. 

The residents of Rother know what they are dealing with when it comes to; Conservatives (Far Right Fascist blue National Front), Labour (Red Tories), LibDems (Yellow Tories) and Green (LibDems on Bicycles) etc, councillors who knock on or post blurb through their doors.

But what true colour are their “independent” candidates and councillors? 

Will any of you step forward and declare your national political loyalties? 

It matters – It matters now more than at the last election. The pandemic has demonstrated and displayed the work of government like never before.

Update April 16 2021: Behold! We have another so called “independent” group, the ‘Democratic Network‘ … will their 7 candidates tell us who they voted for in December 2019? … I won’t hold my breath.

Stop insulting the intelligence of the people you are canvassing to solicit  votes.

Nobody is Independent!

You know that, we know that, it’s time to come clean and tell us where you’re pitched on the Political Compass.

Update April 2023 – True Colours – Not very independent at all it seems: I’m sure all those voters who made the effort to go to the polling stations and exercise their democratic right to vote for the ‘Independent’ candidate they had chosen … will be chuffed ¡¡

Voted onto Rother District Council by the electorate she canvassed as ‘Independent’. Source – https://rother.moderngov.co.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=462

Also Voted onto Rother District Council by the electorate she canvassed as ‘Independent’. Source – https://rother.moderngov.co.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=121

Stop insulting the intelligence of the people you are canvassing to solicit  votes.

Nobody is Independent!

You know that, we know that, it’s time to come clean and tell us where you’re pitched on the Political Compass.

Really? Another 18 Bexhill Town Councillors!

… And that’s additional to the 36 we already have!

Thursday 28th January 2021 – 11:00, ‘Triggered’ … by exploring my ‘Spam’ folder and discovering a Green Party email (I know! I used to be a member! WTAF!) … prompted much distracting thought and absence from family banter while I pondered whether to respond or not. I did;

It is disheartening to see such effort and resources focused on the Bexhill Town Council distraction. 

I question your statement “it’s what the majority of residents said they wanted“

Actually … In 2020 RDC ran a consultation on the formation of a Town/Parish Council for Bexhill. The response was 2,193 with 78%  (1,710) being in favour, out of the 45,000 residents of Bexhill.

Those few who did vote in favour represent the financially comfortable, retired middle class. Try asking the many Bexhill residents who rely on Universal Credit, work minimum wage (or zero hours) if they really want a rise in Council Tax (£10/Month for Band ‘D’) to finance yet another layer of bureaucracy, decided by another gaggle of 18, comfortably off, senior citizens with nothing better to do.    

I now focus my efforts on much larger issues. A new Bexhill Town Council is like  – ‘rearranging the deckchairs on the sinking Titanic‘ – Not for me thank you. Local party politics is a geriatrics talking shop, such a disappointing bore. 

I am lovingly surrounded by my family of young people, the real future, and that is both delightful and terrifying when you consider the looming madness of a new ‘Cold War’ and Nuclear Arms Race – What is the GP doing about the information in the video above, other than box ticking platitudes?

Finally, please remove me from the Rother Green Party mailing list! I have asked previously but these emails do somehow get to me despite having marked them as spam! 

When I come across one, it is unfortunately for me a trigger and depressing reminder of a time I invested way too much time and effort into a lost cause. A ‘Green Token’ support act for the Liberal Democrats, the lowest of all political parties!

Shameful and so disrespectful to all those who voted ‘Green’ in 2019, to be contemptuously listed as ‘and the Green Party’ under the ‘Leadership’ of a Liberal Democrat!

Thank you

Best wishes

 https://youtu.be/GI7c1k7oTpc

The farce demonstrated at the link above is no doubt repeated in little local governance ‘clique’s’ all over the country.

Sadly Bexhill-on-Sea is about to add yet another layer of bureaucracy consisting of 18 self important over inflated egos, adding unnecessary extra financial burden on many who already struggle to pay their council tax.