Opinion: It’s different when you are in charge
We hear a lot of noise during election campaigns on how various parties might be the best place for your vote, with the candidates often vying for the moral high ground, writes Steve Allen, Conservative group deputy leader.
For years we have seen and heard the claim that individual independent candidates or parties will put ‘people before politics’.
As well as being meaningless the phrase is also puerile. The truth being that people ARE Politics, and politics is people!
The dictionary definition of Politics: Politics is the way that people living in groups make planned decisions. Politics is about making agreements between people so that they can live together in groups such as tribes, cities, or countries. In large groups, such as countries, some people may spend a lot of their time making such agreements.
So by participating in the process of government - local or national, people will always be the subject of political interaction.
It is that interaction, that forms the basis of Civil Society and in itself interweaves with politics.
The challenge for politicians is to lay out an appealing agenda or policy, (in commercial terms an offer), which when accepted at the ballot box will allow the victor to work with others to achieve implementation.
Appealing and realistic policies together with an understood philosophy is the driver for political affiliations.
Importantly those seeking power must understand that with power comes responsibility, and in governing difficult decisions must be taken.
Locally I am sure the Labour administration now in power at the Town Hall is already in trouble agonising over the tough decisions that have to be made when you’re in charge!
Controversial cuts to the finances of the dementia resource centre and the agreement to fence off Werrington fields being prime examples. It’s not unreasonable to say the Labour Councillors would have been on us in a heartbeat if it were the Conservatives in power and had to make these tough calls. Welcome to the reality of running the council.
There is currently a fragmentation of the political landscape. Nationally we have two parties vying for the centre/right vote (although in the case of Reform we should remember this is a limited company, and very much the extended ego of one man), whilst locally it could be said we now have effectively two ‘conservative’ parties with seats on the Council.
The reality is that in both cases there is little difference in terms of policy. Clearly at some stage these different forces must coalesce, if the centre right is to again be in control in terms of national government or our local council.
The appeal of independent candidates is a chimera.
Granted there are in some circumstances valiant individuals who are fine with a solo mission and often fighting on a single issue close to their own experiences. However the claim of independence will rightly be challenged as soon as any formal arrangement is implemented. (As the First have ‘group’ demonstrated locally by selecting a ‘Leader’ and forming a shadow cabinet – how’s that for being independent).
The Conservative Party nationally are about to start the process of selecting a leader. Rightly so the process is not being rushed; with the final ‘hustings’ taking place at the Annual Party Conference in the autumn, before members get the opportunity to make their choice from the final two candidates .
Having had time to reflect and with a new leader in place, this will inevitably see a developing conversation on policy as the party moves forward from electoral defeat.
It’s important that a reset is taking place, and from that will emerge an organisation that is better placed to appeal to those voters instinctively attracted to both the small c, and capital C Conservative outlook.