There’s an interesting comment piece on SalfordOnline entitled “the demise of Salford democracy has begun”. Whilst I understand the sentiment - and I certainly agree that Hazel and her Labour colleagues have let the people of Salford down badly – I think reports of the demise of democracy are premature.
Hazel should not be apologising to her Labour colleagues. She should be apologising to the people of Salford as a whole – she has let them down badly. Ultimately Hazel Blears is accountable to her electorate, and her fate will be decided not behind the closed doors of a Labour Party meeting, but in the ballot boxes of the Salford & Eccles constituency at the next General Election.
The public need to have the opportunity to pass judgement on Hazel and her Labour colleagues. What we need is a General Election to give local people the chance to pass that judgement – that’s the real test of our local democracy.
Dear Councillor Lindley, firstly thank you for your comment, I think we are in general agreement with the sentiments I was trying to express but the point I wanted to make with the title was that if minority parties manage to gain significant numbers of council seats at the next by-election they are more likely to further their own agenda rather than work for what is best for the people of Salford. As the recent elections have shown, people are not afraid to voice their displeasure and if the only avenue they are given is to wait for their turn at the ballot box, politicians have only themselves to blame if they are removed from office, better therefore that Salford’s Labour activists listen and act now.