Sunday, March 11, 2012

The toilet politics of the Marple LibDems

The latest pre-election leaflet from our local Liberal Democrat candidate and sitting Councillor is further evidence of her unfitness to hold public office any longer.

Shan Alexander claims credit for a scheme to save a toilet block in Memorial Park and open up other facilities. I thought it was wind up at first. Is this the best they can claim in after running Stockport Council?

Then there is her woolly stance on the planning application by Asda's agents as if it was anything to do with her. Oh, actually it was. She was a Governor of the college, but never said anything about the plan until it was clear where public opinion stood.

The dismissal of potential opponents as "faceless" is a low blow. She has the benefit of incumbency for her profile. An opponent does not, neither do they have the ability to maintain local visibility and be paid £40,000 into her household as her and her husband do.

And who is to say that opponent hasn't been active in local campaigns?

This is the kind of low politics a good mate of mine, a former Labour Councillor, described as "LibDem Dog Dirt politics."

You know where you are with Labour - looking out for the hard up - and the Tory Party in local politics - small business and small state governance. Lib Dems? What matters is what gets them elected. Well, I hope it backfires this time.

5 comments:

Haggis said...

Notwithstanding the local criticisms, if which I know nothing, can you knock a councillor for waiting until they know how public opinion lies before shaping theirs? Isn't that their job, to represent views of constituents? As for Dog dirt politics....well they all do that. Just depends on how marginal it is.

Michael Taylor said...

I think politics is about having the judgement to be able to lead, not just follow. I think the Liberal Democrats lack a sense of mission - I'm just not what sure they stand for.

Anonymous said...

Your comments seem a little exasperated and lacking in evidence in addition to taking an extremely simplistic view of the Lab/Cons.

I am no libdem fan - certainly not at national level but I will be very surprised (NO ACTUALLY AMAZED!) if SA is not re-elected. If you feel so strongly why don't you stand yourself? -EXACTLY!

DUMDUM

Michael Taylor said...

I have weighed up whether to stand and discussed it with various high profile people in Marple.

I think I would urge all decent people in this community to shake up the council and vote for the candidate most likely to beat Shan Alexander.

Carl Rydings said...

The Conservative candidate is most likely to beat Shan Alexander, as last year there was only 455 votes between the two. The Lib Dem dominance of council seats in our area is not good for residents, we need a voice from The Conservative Party to offer different solutions to problems and increase local accountability.