Nigel Farage to stand as UKIP's candidate in Newbury? Options

[Exhausted]

I have asked this before, but I will again, why not come and join the current parties and influence them? The reality is that fresh blood is very much needed in both at ALL elected levels. Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera Newbury Town Council - Victoria Ward Councillor & Deputy Leader

Because I would not want to be a yes man within that group. Westminster party politics has no place in local governance. There often comes the time when there is a vote, that members will follow the party line against their personal beliefs. I have watched the local council on a vote, one party holds up their hands for a yes, the other party to a man will vote no.

When have you voted, in an important vote against your party. I would suspect never. So is there collusion outside the meeting or does each elected member go in with an open mind.

You will no doubt tell me that they, the councillors, were voted in by their constituents to do just that. I don't think so.

There's an old saying, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

You won't beat them it's too firmly entrenched.

[On the edge]

If there existed a critical mass of people who shared a positive way forward then I am pretty sure that it would get traction and eventually as a result of working as grassroots activists supporting/challenging/championing local issues, eventually one of the members would eventually become a Parish, then a Town and later a District Councillor.

Alternatively why not infiltrate the main parties locally and take them over? This process would be much faster and you can use the party mechanism to then become elected. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on which side of the fence one stands, politics is all about mastering the art of compromise as especially in a group of 'Independents' there will be a vast difference in thought.

I have asked this before, but I will again, why not come and join the current parties and influence them? The reality is that fresh blood is very much needed in both at ALL elected levels.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Victoria Ward Councillor & Deputy Leader

That's a great answer, to be honest not a new one! So, OK then, I'll join...

Houston, we have a problem. Looking at your local web site, I can join the National Organisation and I can 'offer to help' (nice pre set list!). If I did apply to join the Natuonal organisation, membership is subject to approval by the Local Party.

Umm, so much for that. In reality then, if I really did want 'to get involved' locally, it would seem easier to join the Masons! Nonetheless, I can understand why our local politicians don't want anyone upsetting their democracy - which is back to the original question!

So perhaps the ST is right, the future is not democracy. Let's face it, our existing political set up is as dis functional as the Coop.

[On the edge]

Because I would not want to be a yes man within that group. Westminster party politics has no place in local governance. There often comes the time when there is a vote, that members will follow the party line against their personal beliefs. I have watched the local council on a vote, one party holds up their hands for a yes, the other party to a man will vote no.

When have you voted, in an important vote against your party. I would suspect never. So is there collusion outside the meeting or does each elected member go in with an open mind.

You will no doubt tell me that they, the councillors, were voted in by their constituents to do just that. I don't think so.

There's an old saying, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

You won't beat them it's too firmly entrenched.

Sadly, you can't join them either; unless you want to lick envelopes. UK was an aristocracy and arguably still is. Power might not be in the hands of the Peerage, though they still own the land, it's now in the hands of the political dynasties. Tony Benn's sniping about hereditary privilege always made me smile - 5 generations of Benn at Westminister!! How many sons and daughters, or husbands and wives, even locally!

Try another old saying, it's not what you know, but who you know....

[Exhausted]

Try another old saying, it's not what you know, but who you know....

Yes, that does work well in local decision making.

[Ruwan Uduwerage-...]

When have you voted, in an important vote against your party. I would suspect never.

Mmm, depends what you call important really?

At a national level I still involved in trying to overturn such things as the so-called 'Bedroom Tax', I was directly involved in the development of the Liberal Democrats Immigration, Asylum and Identity Policy, and in doing so I have had to stand up against a desire of some to swing towards populism.

On the Equality Act issues that went before the House of Lords last year, I was directly involved in lobbying Peers to rebel against the Governments line, which they did.

At a local level I have stood up against even members of my own party on matters such as Traveller Sites and a number of other matters. On less important issues I constantly abstain to allowing a Tory Councillor become Mayor. My rationale is that the public voted the Liberal Democrats in, so under the current system they can expect a Liberal Democrat Mayor. Unfortunately far too many Tory Mayors have used this position to promote their party political agenda. I must add at this point that the last Tory Mayor, Cllr Pick did not do this and was impartial throughout his term of office as far as I am aware. Personally I would like to find a way of retaining the Mayor, but removing it from the Council so that the public have a direct say as to who their Mayor is.

Being a member of a political party does not mean that one signs up totally to all of their policies, and certainly within the Liberal Democrats and Labour (which I was once a member of) there is considerable scope to changing things by winning people over to a different pint of view.

As I have stated before I would personally love to see and hear greater diversity of political thoughts within the Council Chamber and one way of doing this is for either new political groups to come forward, or more easily for a new breed of politician to change the current parties from within. My experience tends to show that it is easier to change things from within than it is from outside, although I am a firm believer in supporting issues based external lobbying groups.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera

Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader

[On the edge]

Yes, I think many of us would agree, it's easier to change things if you are on the I side...therein lies the crunch! If you can't get in, because the doors are locked, what then?

Let's face it, if we are honest, certainly at local level, the power base of the big three parties is impregnable. There is no want or interest in having any local input at all.

The only time 'the voters' are needed is at election time, which is dealt with by slick marketeers from central office or when a local councillor wants to promote their own private hobby horse!

You wonder why the turn out at Council elections is so low or why the public are so cynical.

[MontyPython]

Mmm, depends what you call important really?



At a local level I have stood up against even members of my own party on matters such as Traveller Sites and a number of other matters.

Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader

But in doing so are you representing the electorate or just your own personal view?

[NWNREADER]

Please do not think me rude, but your answer is not really related to the question about if you have ever voted against the Party line/policy? Even in NTC, if (as an example) there was a motion to lift - say - a vexatious complainer status placed against a constituent and the LibDem group decided to vote against but you believed that to be wrong?

As for "As I have stated before I would personally love to see and hear greater diversity of political thoughts within the Council Chamber and one way of doing this is for either new political groups to come forward, or more easily for a new breed of politician to change the current parties from within. My experience tends to show that it is easier to change things from within than it is from outside, although I am a firm believer in supporting issues based external lobbying groups.
Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera

Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader"

would that include UKIP, Communist, a renamed Al Ghurabaa?

[Ruwan Uduwerage-...]

Please do not think me rude, but your answer is not really related to the question about if you have ever voted against the Party line/policy?

Newsreader, no offence taken, but sadly I fear that there is little that I or anyone else involved in politics can do to impress you, so I will carry on doing what I can for those that seek my assistance, and matters that come to my attention.

As for increasing the diversity of political debate in the Chamber, do I have to remind you that I am a 'liberal' as well as a Liberal Democrat. Whoever the populace vote in, I will engage, and seek to work with.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader"

[NWNREADER]

Newsreader, no offence taken, but sadly I fear that there is little that I or anyone else involved in politics can do to impress you, so I will carry on doing what I can for those that seek my assistance, and matters that come to my attention.

As for increasing the diversity of political debate in the Chamber, do I have to remind you that I am a 'liberal' as well as a Liberal Democrat. Whoever the populace vote in, I will engage, and seek to work with.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader"

So very wrong.... I have been hugely impressed with a number of local councillors - of various backgrounds. I have also found a number to be as hard to get a straight answer from as Jeremy Paxman interviewing Michael Howard.

Nave you ever voted against your (then) Party line?

Would you approve of other 'political' groupings - such as those outlined - seeking election in Newbury?

[Simon Kirby]

Would you approve of other 'political' groupings - such as those outlined - seeking election in Newbury?

As a proscribed organisation it would be a criminal offence to encourage support for Al Ghurabaa.

[NWNREADER]

As a proscribed organisation it would be a criminal offence to encourage support for Al Ghurabaa.

Hence my care - would that include UKIP, Communist, a renamed Al Ghurabaa?