Give real power to the local community!

Political parties should not just be keeping power for themselves!

Every political party came into being to fight for a certain set of principles or beliefs - and many were created at a time when the majority of the population were uneducated in politics and lacked the means to represent themselves.

Yet now - with access either to both national and local newspapers, 24-hour television news coverage and the internet - people are increasingly able to form their own opinions for themselves and they no longer need any political party telling them how they should think. That parties no longer listen to them is one reason why many people have turned away from each of the political parties.

Another reason is that political parties seem increasingly to exist only to promote the good of the party. Does anyone really think that there will ever come a time when any political party will consider its job done and disband itself? To win elections - and to keep winning elections - is the sole aim of every party. Where each claims to be open to all, it is usually only those who will follow the main party line who will have any real hope of election to public office.

In our democracy, almost anyone can stand for election to political office; but unless they are a member of one of the political parties, it is extremely difficult for them to do so. From my own experience as an Independent candidate, the larger the electoral area, the more difficult it is for any community-minded individual to compete with well-organised political parties.

How then could any person on benefits, or someone on a low income or working a zero-hours contract afford leaflets? How can a single parent or someone with a disability possibly get around a whole electoral area? The parties can - and do so - because they have the resources both in money and party workers. Each party claims to know what is best for the most vulnerable, when in fact it is those who are the most vulnerable who actually do know best and yet are unable to represent their communities!

I believe that a proper Election Fund could be set up - taking deductions out of serving Councillors' Allowances - helping those who are not in any party and who have not the finances to fight an election campaign.

A Free Post leaflet could also be made available for any individual candidate who is not in any political party and who is either physically unable or through personal family circumstances unable to make their views known to the voters. 

Finally, the larger the electoral area, the more it will favour the political party with both resources and workers. Having smaller wards would help more people, who are not in any political party, to come forward and would give them a proper and realistic chance of success against the political parties in any election!

ALL POLITICAL PARTIES CLAIM TO STAND UP FOR THE PEOPLE - BUT I BELIEVE THAT ACTUALLY EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES WOULD BE BETTER!

Carl Simmons

Denton South Independent

Saturday 5th April 2014