Phil
In memoriam
RIP 23-Oct-2018
Posts: 9,473
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Post by Phil on Oct 16, 2012 7:04:44 GMT
I do not want us immediately to have this thread locked due to our rules on party politics, but I was wondering who thinks what about Christian Wolmar standing as Mayor of London - especially as he (a socialist with a small 's') seems to have been put up to it by the Daily Mail, which is not the most left-wing newspaper in the country   ;D . What needs thinking about is whether a single-issue candidate (transport - and mainly cycling at that) can really be the best for London over all - whether he can be better than a party candidate, and whether being a specialist journalist is really the best sort of CV for London Mayor. BTW - I have written on a piece of paper the number of posts I think will be made before I have to lock the thread due to A.N.Other breaking the rules - you'll find it here as rule 4a
www.districtdavesforum.co.uk/index.cgi?board=intros&action=display&thread=9141&page=1 |
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castlebar
Planners use hindsight, not foresight
Posts: 1,316
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Post by castlebar on Oct 16, 2012 7:28:44 GMT
Many years ago, national political parties did not stand in local elections. Most candidates were "Independents" and stood on behalf of local issues.
I wish we could return to that situation. Perhaps that is what Boris has attempted to do, but unfortunately, he knows little about some of the issues. Don't forget, some newspapers, particularly the "Mail" would want anyone but Ken, and Boris was the only Tory with the personality likely to beat him.
Boris is now showing a degree of independence that is generally frowned upon within the Tory party, but he is too high profile to be silenced. I really do wish we could get ceilingcat's view on all this. A really strong independent candidate is unlikely to succeed against the national political party machines and a press that biased towards either the red or blue candidate.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2012 7:48:16 GMT
As many will probably not know but shortly the country will be voting for police & crime commissioners. Given transport has just as big, if not more relevant, influence on people's lives then why not a regional transport commissioner. These elected officials could look at all transport related issues in a region ( I feel county council area too small). So in the East you can look at projects such as the A14 in conjunction with train & bus improvements as well.
I would further give these transport commissioners the opportunity to introduce concession style train & bus services.
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Post by snoggle on Oct 16, 2012 8:15:57 GMT
I do not want us immediately to have this thread locked due to our rules on party politics, but I was wondering who thinks what about Christian Wolmar standing as Mayor of London - especially as he (a socialist with a small 's') seems to have been put up to it by the Daily Mail, which is not the most left-wing newspaper in the country ;D . What needs thinking about is whether a single-issue candidate (transport - and mainly cycling at that) can really be the best for London over all - whether he can be better than a party candidate, and whether being a specialist journalist is really the best sort of CV for London Mayor. BTW - I have written on a piece of paper the number of posts I think will be made before I have to lock the thread due to A.N.Other breaking the rules - you'll find it here as rule 4a
www.districtdavesforum.co.uk/index.cgi?board=intros&action=display&thread=9141&page=1You only need to look at the wide range of topics in Mayor's Questions to see that the post of Mayor is not a single issue job. Candidates need to have a team and policies that can cover the role appropriately and competently. I do not think that "single issue" candidates can do this properly. I am afraid that I do not think Mr Wolmar is the right answer for Mayor even on transport issues. I have read his website and thoughts published so far in respect of his potential candidacy and am unimpressed. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2012 8:45:29 GMT
Castlebar - it must be many years, Before World War 2 the LCC was contested by the Municipal Reform Party (which was the Conservatives) the Progressives (who were the Liberals) and Labour (who didn’t bother with a wacky pseudonym); only one or two independents were elected. After 1945 they used their own names, Labour and Conservatives won all the seats, the Liberals only regained some seats in 1973.
Christian Wolmar is a member of the Labour Party and will have to stand for election as the Mayoral Candidate just like anyone else. Alan Johnson is also rumoured to be interested and is a much more experienced politician so likely to get the support of the London Labour rank and file along with the Union vote. Wolmar would be ideal as anyone’s Transport Commissioner, I would love to see the back of Hendy who only seems interested in keeping his job as long as possible by agreeing with anything Boris suggests.
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Post by peterc on Oct 16, 2012 15:59:49 GMT
True but facts have nothing to do with public perception.
I agree, the transport network does not respect the GLA boundary.
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Post by snoggle on Oct 16, 2012 17:14:15 GMT
Wolmar would be ideal as anyone’s Transport Commissioner, I would love to see the back of Hendy who only seems interested in keeping his job as long as possible by agreeing with anything Boris suggests. Surely the entire point of the Commissioner (in fact any Commissioner) is to do exactly what the Mayor requires? It is, after all, a direct Mayoral appointment. The Transport Commissioner is not elected nor do they have their own manifesto so their only direction comes from the Mayoralty. You or I may not necessarily like what that means depending on the party in power but that is the system we have. It is surely better than the regime when LRT controlled London's transport under direct ministerial direction? I suspect there are heated debates behind the scenes but the Mayor can and, I am sure, does overrule. No difference when Ken was Mayor. |
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Post by Tomcakes on Oct 16, 2012 18:35:29 GMT
A few years ago we had a mayor elected in a certain northern town who stood on a platform of basically Daily Mail anti-PC bumph. It was a surprise to everyone when he was actually elected, but especially to him, when all his airy-fairy ideas and "I'm going to get rid of X and do Y and Z" all turned out to be completely impractical.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2012 22:44:00 GMT
Tomcakes - are you possibly referring to a town slightly north east of Sheffield, where a member of a fringe party who were formed ten years ago got elected? I've read of some of his exploits in Private Eye.
I think you suffered a similar experience to my home town where they voted for a party that until then had been previously associated with the wearing of boots from a certain manufacturer in Northampton (nothing wrong in that, I wear them myself) , extremely short haircuts (ditto) and a abhorrence of anyone of a skin shade darker than Pantone 2012, tangerine tango. Half of them quit after 6 months as it was just too hard and at the following election they lost all their seats because they were as effective as the proverbial chocolate teapot.
Politics is a lot harder than people imagine but then most people think running a railway is just ilke owning a Hornby set.
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;D .
