Have you ever stood as a candidate in your local elections?
- Thread starter Banderill
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cookiemonster
Veteran
- Location
- Far away from the asylum
Narcissism and the need for attention.
mjr
Active Member
I have stood for and served as a parish councillor and a cooperative area councillor, both times non-party/independent. I have lost more elections than I won IIRC.
The most common motives at these lowest levels is a desire to make/help the voices of your neighbours (physically or politically) be heard and to use whatever skills you have to help your community (for example, I can read a set of building plans, which plenty of councillors cannot AFAICT).
Maybe narcissim and attention-seeking comes in for some at higher levels but the bottom level will be unrewarding for them. Usually the only time you get attention is when shoot farks up.
The most common motives at these lowest levels is a desire to make/help the voices of your neighbours (physically or politically) be heard and to use whatever skills you have to help your community (for example, I can read a set of building plans, which plenty of councillors cannot AFAICT).
Maybe narcissim and attention-seeking comes in for some at higher levels but the bottom level will be unrewarding for them. Usually the only time you get attention is when shoot farks up.
AndyRM
Elder Goth
Very harsh. I know 3 people who have and neither of those were motivations.
The Green Party in North East England were hoping to have council ward representatives for election a few years ago. My (now ex) wife stood and did pretty well, and still does although I'm not part of helping her out. Likewise a friend of mine stood for the Lib Dems in a different area and has been close to getting elected a couple of times. My old man was a parish councillor for a while, but ended up too frustrated with the ridiculous battles so stopped doing it.
As @mjr said, at that level there is nothing narcissistic or attention seeking about it.
BoldonLad
Old man on a bike. Not a member of a clique.
- Location
- South Tyneside
No.
I have encountered three potential MPs (ie, someone who stood for election as an MP (one Labour, two Lib_dem), none of them were elected.
I know/knew the individuals reasonably well (two as a work colleagues, one, the son of a friend).
As I say, none were elected.... thank goodness.... what is worrying is that those who were elected were, in all probability, equally incompetent (IMHO or course).
I have encountered three potential MPs (ie, someone who stood for election as an MP (one Labour, two Lib_dem), none of them were elected.
I know/knew the individuals reasonably well (two as a work colleagues, one, the son of a friend).
As I say, none were elected.... thank goodness.... what is worrying is that those who were elected were, in all probability, equally incompetent (IMHO or course).
cookiemonster
Veteran
- Location
- Far away from the asylum
Oh look! France being in the EU and are controlling their borders.
farfromtheland
Regular AND Goofy
As an intermittently avid local government watcher (haven't seen a council meeting since covid however - though heard a few sound recordings on a local independent news site) I feel the big problem is that the structure of local government has been changed by Westminster. I used to know precisely three local councillors who strove to be faithful to their election mandate and accountable to their community. Two resigned over issues of treachery by their colleages and one was ousted by hand-picked usurpers at a local party meeting. A few more who simply did their best according to their own lights - mostly retired now.
Councils now have the choice of a Mayoral model or a Cabinet model - both remove straightforward voting control from the chamber of elected members and create a higher level executive chosen through power-broking.
Councils now have the choice of a Mayoral model or a Cabinet model - both remove straightforward voting control from the chamber of elected members and create a higher level executive chosen through power-broking.
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mjr
Active Member
Has the old arguably more democratic committee system reintroduced by the Localism Act 2011 been forbidden again?
I can see the argument for the elected mayor model, holding the top dog accountable at the ballot box every 4 years, but the cabinet model should die because few councils are marginal enough to hold a cabinet accountable: with a sizeable "ballast" of majority members, the cabinet councillors can basically do or say anything and get away with it unless it displeases their leader or splits their own party. If a cabinet member is not your councillor, they can mostly ignore you.
farfromtheland
Regular AND Goofy
Though not forbidden now (had to check, thanks!) how many councils will actively move back to committee models?
farfromtheland
Regular AND Goofy
They can ignore you even then, or lie to your face.
Independent candidates have had some effect in my neck of the woods.
https://www.castrust.org/2013/07/if-you-know-your-istory-the-valley-party/
Disclaimer - I am not a Charlton supporter! Gotta give props though.
mjr
Active Member
They can, but that would normally be a breach of the relevant Code of Conduct, so most don't.
But good luck getting that enforced since Dave threw the regulators on his "bonfire of red tape" and politicised standards enforcement. That's partly why Boris will have to decide whether or not to refer himself for punishment if the forthcoming report into parties finds he erred.
