It's all to play for...

Those people who have written to the press recently to point out that North East Somerset is a brand new constituency are spot on.

In Dan Norris’ literature he is giving misleading information to residents suggesting that the contest to become our next MP is between himself and the Tory. In fact, I don’t think Dan has mentioned the boundary changes at all publically because statistically he could be the big loser.

North East Somerset is a completely brand new constituency which sees the loss of an area to the north of Keynsham, which has had a Labour MP for 13 years, and the gain of over 10,000 people from the former Bath constituency – which has elected a Liberal Democrat MP, with a huge majority, for almost two decades.

Thanks to the boundary changes, this really now is a three-horse race.

In a modern day democracy people shouldn’t be told who they can and can’t vote for. The Labour Party’s tactic of bullying people into voting for them, because anything else is a ‘wasted’ vote is a complete infringement of our democratic rights.

In all the literature I’ve received from Dan Norris he doesn’t tell me anything he’s done over the last 13 years – his only reason to vote for him is to ‘stop the Tory getting in’. I agree, that’s why I’m voting Liberal Democrat!

I’m voting for Gail Coleshill, not just because as Lib Dems we share the same beliefs and values such as fairness, fighting for the underdog and community empowerment, but because she is the only candidate who actually has a track record of action and getting things done in our area. Last week, 34,000 households received a leaflet from Gail outlining many of her success stories over the last 10 years.

Her campaigns to save post offices, invest in better facilities for young people, protect the greenbelt from mass housing development, save the mobile library from council cuts, to set up a new health park in Keynsham and her part in setting up the successful Farmers’ Market in Midsomer Norton are testament to her belief in building a fairer, more equal society.

On May 6th people must be given the chance to make their own choice. Here in North East Somerset it’s all to play for.

The people have taken democracy into their own hands

For almost a year now I have been continuously inspired by the hard work of campaigners in Midsomer Norton to create their own Town Council. For years, there has been a growing dislike for Norton Radstock Town Council – an organisation that is increasingly out of touch with residents and has no public mandate to serve the community.

Last Spring, over 900 people in Midsomer Norton demonstrated their growing anger towards the current Town Council by returning a petition card calling for a Local Governance Review to take place. Later in the year, a further 700 people in Westfield signed a petition calling for the same for their area. That’s more than many B&NES Councillors get in their own elections!

These petitions and surveys were carried out by people who are passionate about the place they live in. By people who believe so strongly in local democracy that they’ll do anything to ensure that residents stay at the centre of our democratic system.

Not once, during the last 12 months, has our Labour MP helped or at all showed an interest in this matter, and it’s only recently (with a General Election just 8 weeks away) that he decided to call a public meeting – at 2pm on a Friday afternoon! This was only advertised in one local newspaper a week before the meeting was taking place.

As a local Councillor, I know how difficult it can be at times to encourage people and inspire them to feel passionate about their community. It isn’t something that happens overnight – it takes year of work and relationship building. To push in at the last minute and claim to have done a survey asking for residents views on the future of local democracy in Norton-Radstock is just cheap and tacky. Mr Norris claims in his column in last week's Somerset Guardian newspaper that he has had the lowest response ever to this survey. Did he deliver this survey to every house in Norton-Radstock? Did he put petitions in all the shops and businesses? No! He expected residents to take part in the survey on his website – which gives him the total freedom to decide which results to release to the public and press.

Ideally, as an MP serious about getting elected he should be encouraging residents to take part in the consultation by writing to B&NES. If residents want to keep the status quo, as does Dan Norris, they have every freedom to express that in their submissions to B&NES.

Dan needs to be reminded that a) it was his government that introduced Local Governance Reviews – so people can shape their own democratic future and b) all political parties, including Labour, voted in favour of the review at a B&NES Full Council meeting last year.

I agree that B&NES has dithered over when the consultation papers were to be sent out – but their recent arrival on door steps has nothing to do with any intervention by Dan Norris.

I really struggle to understand why Dan Norris doesn’t support the movement for change in Midsomer Norton, Westfield and Radstock. The only answer I can come up with is that it will finally end the unhealthy, undemocratic hold the Labour Party has on the current Town Council. Dan Norris has had many chances over the last 13 years to address this. He hasn’t, so the people have taken democracy into their own hands.

Support the Lib Dems on June 4th

A few weeks ago a letter appeared in the local newspapers from Sara Box, one of the English Democrat European candidates, advocating her desire to create an English Parliament.

She is absolutely right in referring to some of the great things that have happened in Scotland over the years which include the abolition of student tuition fees and free personal care for the elderly.

These achievements are not necessarily the result of Scotland having its own Parliament though. Instead, they are a result of Lib Dems being in coalition government – introducing a much fairer society for the Scottish people.

I do not believe that creating an English Parliament, as she does, is going to address some of the key problems that our country faces. The English Democrat idea of creating another layer of government will just result in another set of elections with low turnout and huge amounts of voter apathy.

Instead, what we need is strong and effective local government – where local people feel inspired and enthused to get involved with the democratic process. If we can’t get people to vote in local elections (the layer of government closest to the people) then what benefit will an English Parliament have?

The best thing Sara and the English Democrats can do is support the campaign to create an independent Town Council in Midsomer Norton – as does my party!

The Liberal Democrats have a strong track record of supporting local people in their communities. The South West Lib Dem MEP Graham Watson has worked extremely hard since he was first elected in 1994 for a better, and fairer, deal for the South West.

Instead of supporting a party that wants to create more bureaucracy, residents can vote Lib Dem on June 4th - a party that believes in putting people before politics.