A Council Run For Whose Interests?
An important observation which can be made from the Earls Court by election is just how narrow and socially exclusive a pool of people that the Conservative and the Liberal Democrat candidates were selected from. This is a symptom of a much deeper malaise affecting how politics is conducted in the borough, and the blog will argue that this operates to the exclusion of many social and ethnic groups whose views and interests are just marginalised or not represented at the Council. This affects the priorities the Council will give to the provision of local services. The forthcoming cuts in housing benefit and local services, and changes to security of tenure for residents in social housing, will affect poorer residents and it seems only the Labour Party is discussing these issues. The problem is not centred on Sir Merrick Cockell and his leadership, as there is no reason to believe that a change in leadership of the Conservatives will bring about a more inclusive and socially diverse Council, which is responsive to the wide range of interests of residents of all social and ethnic groups. The solution will require the political parties to have a wider range of candidates for election to the Council, for the parties and the Council, to reach out to different groups that are not articulate and organised in Residents Associations or the Earls Court Society, and for the socially excluded and ethnic groups themselves to find ways of getting their interests represented at the Council.
An important observation which can be made from the Earls Court by election is just how narrow and socially exclusive a pool of people that the Conservative and the Liberal Democrat candidates were selected from. This is a symptom of a much deeper malaise affecting how politics is conducted in the borough, and the blog will argue that this operates to the exclusion of many social and ethnic groups whose views and interests are just marginalised or not represented at the Council. This affects the priorities the Council will give to the provision of local services. The forthcoming cuts in housing benefit and local services, and changes to security of tenure for residents in social housing, will affect poorer residents and it seems only the Labour Party is discussing these issues. The problem is not centred on Sir Merrick Cockell and his leadership, as there is no reason to believe that a change in leadership of the Conservatives will bring about a more inclusive and socially diverse Council, which is responsive to the wide range of interests of residents of all social and ethnic groups. The solution will require the political parties to have a wider range of candidates for election to the Council, for the parties and the Council, to reach out to different groups that are not articulate and organised in Residents Associations or the Earls Court Society, and for the socially excluded and ethnic groups themselves to find ways of getting their interests represented at the Council.
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