Reform of Politics

On Thursday 6th May 2010 I put the following stop-press topical comment on my website. I posted it at a few minutes after 10 p.m. - just after the General Election polls closed and before any results were known. The outcome of the Election was far from a foregone conclusion.

Reform of Politics : Mission Impossible?

The M.P.s expenses debacle has led to calls for the reform of politics. Politicians are held in low esteem. We have heard it all before. Is reform achievable? These candid writings about political battles in the 1970s may improve the prospect of real changes.

One week later, a major act of reform has taken place - a Coalition Government is holding its first Cabinet meeting. The coming together of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties gives grounds for hope that politics will become less tribal and more consensual. However, it could all fall apart, not because of events at Parliamentary level but more likely due to Party politics in the Constituencies and Local Governments. I therefore posted the following topical note:-

Reform of Politics : Focus needed on Constituencies

The Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition is a great step forward but it could be undone by Constituency and Local Government politics. It is hoped that the candid writings about local political battles here presented may improve the prospect of lasting changes.

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This collection of writings has been put together as a case study of political processes which took place over 30 years ago in one Party, in one Constituency and in one Local Government District. It is surely inconceivable that the events described were unique to that time, place and Party. It is therefore hoped that all Parties, whether they are in Government or not, will take on board some of the lessons to be learned from this real story of past political events.

CONTENTS

POLITICAL ESTEEM?

In 1974, some months after I was elected as a Conservative District Councillor, I formed a Constituency Sub-Committee to consider dissatisfaction with political processes and the low esteem in which politicians are held. Only one meeting was held:-

Meeting about Political Esteem

ARTICLES FOR THE PRESS

In February 1976 the Constituency rejected my re-nomination as a Conservative candidate for Harpenden's East Ward on the District Council but invited me to become its candidate for Harpenden's Town Council. Such had been the concern about manoeuvrings regarding East Ward that I decided with the support of Ward Conservatives to stand as an Independent.

In April 1976 I sent 3 articles for publication to the Editor of The Review, a local newspaper based in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. The first two provided background and the third gave an account of what led up to my rejection as a Conservative candidate. The idea was that the three would be published in the weeks leading up to the election. I was motivated to give a detailed account of what had happened by a play at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, the previous year.

The Review passed over Articles 1 & 2 and published only Article 3, two weeks before the election. Article 3 came out on 22nd April 1976 and the following week a Conservative reply was published. I followed this with a Letter to the Editor which was published on Election Day, Thursday 6th May 1976, exactly 34 years before the posting of these papers on the internet.

Articles 1 & 2 are here published for the first time:-

Article 1 : An Independent View

Article 2 : Party Politics in Local Government

Article 3

Review, 22 April 1976

Conservative Reply

Review, 29 April 1976

Letter to Editor

Review, 6 May 1976