A lot has been written about the potential move to women-only shortlists for Conservative seats selecting in the new year. Because of the unusually high churn in seats caused by the expenses scandal, it is likely that some of these seats will be “safe” Conservative seats or ultra-marginals that we could be expected to win.
This would result in an automatic increase in the number of women MPs on the Conservative benches if the actual General Election results reflect our current poll ratings.
I have been forwarded a few e-mails by local residents containing correspondence between themselves and our local MP, Vince Cable, mainly in relation to Twickenham Riverside, although the hated CPZ tax comes in to play here as well.
In them, he states that he “does not believe in local referenda, except for constitutional matters” (obviously he forgot about this when faced with the vote on the Lisbon Treaty) and that he won’t intervene in “local issues”.
Although he is uncharacteristically candid in explaining his absence from the crucial local matters of the day, what’s the point of having him as our MP?
I think it’s time Dr Cable booked a seat on the red leather and made way for someone who actually wants to represent their constituents now.
Beyond the grandstanding, hubris and superciliousness of much of what people see in politics, it is important now to talk a little about what the public doesn’t see in the role of a politician.
There is a huge amount of substance that no MP or candidate can campaign on, much of which revolves around the casework that we do for our constituents.
So, the three major parties have now had their expenses claims published and key members embarrassed. Can there possibly be a winner from all of this?
Of course. The victor from all of this stands head and shoulders above everyone else in the Parliamentary system, although is sadly now powerless to act in the healing process of restoring trust in Parliament.
To whom do I refer?
I wasn’t going to write a post about this, as I think the subject is being debated to death, but having spoken to a local resident recently, they said (quite rightly) that I should make my views known, so that I can be held accountable against them as and when I am elected.
So here goes…
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