Whether or not Mark Shooter wins/loses - the question is what is the future for the people of Barnet. Shooter represents the first stirrings in the local Conservatives showing that they are slowly waking up to the fact that the world is changing and the abuses have to stop.
Sadly any bright future for Barnet has to start outside of the failed political elite. It has to start on the streets at ground level. We need to look to the likes of retired sheltered housing resident David Young for inspiration. He stopped the sheltered housing warden cuts in their tracks by taking the council to court. We need to campaign as a united community against the cuts, against the troughing and for the people of Barnet. We need to put aside party divisions and realise that what we are dealing with is a far more fundamental problem. We need to rebuild a sense of community in Barnet and put an end to the selfish "me first" politics of the current batch of leaders.
If we can get a sense of purpose within the community, then maybe somewhere down the line, we'll see a brighter future for Barnet.
The east of the borough has little to do with the west of the borough, and vice versa.
ReplyDeletePlease come and join in some of the activities listed here (not the bit about Milton Keynes) and we might get somewhere:
ReplyDeletehttp://vickim57.blogspot.com/2010/08/milton-keynes-here-i-come-plus-dates.html
Yesterday's Evening Standard:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23868860-easycouncillors-scrap-huge-rise-in-allowances.do
Yes - it is time for everyone to pull together. Barnet has been split apart in recent years. We need to see a real movement towards a unity - more festivals and better leadership from our council - who should see themselves as Public Servants again rather than Professional Politicians.
ReplyDeleteMill Hill is a wonderful place and so are many other areas in Barnet. we should be proud of where we live it has beautiful parks and wonderful people.
Lets Hope Barnet Eye has started a quiet revolution.
Mark Shooter speaks about his leadership bid on Conservative Home
ReplyDeletehttp://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2010/08/why-im-standing-for-leader-of-barnet-council.html
"Troubled Tory" has commented there:
ReplyDelete"It seems to me that Cllr Shooter, Vice Chair of the Hendon C.A., is simply revisiting the bitter and divisive conflict between the Hendon and Barnet Associations that has bedevilled Tory politics in Barnet for decades.
"He will happily split the party to score feeble points against the leadership. Brian Salinger was dumped as Leader because of this division, and Hillan is at risk of the same fate.
"The expenses scandal is just a blind put up by the parvenu Shooter."