NOT FOR THE COLOUR BLIND!

At last I know that somebody actually reads this blog! Yesterday I commented on the fact that the Shields Gazette were particularly non -committal on the forthcoming local elections. So what has happened today, well would you believe it, an 8 page election special! Should I claim all the credit; something tells me that this was already in the pipe line and perhaps I was being a bit too eager!

Moving on then, what did the candidates actually have to say? Well, in two cases the BNP had nothing to say; with no pictures and no address for the Biddick/All Saints and Monkton Wards, how can the voters in these areas actually vote for you? You may be ugly, but you cant be any more repulsive than your politics, so at least lets have a mug shot (literally please, I’m sure you all have criminal records as well). That’s enough attention for the far right, so lets move on to the far left. John Bissett’s statement re the Monkton Ward is a classic bit of plagiarism from either Zola’s “Germinal” or Marx’s “Communist Manifesto”. Well done John, but when people are trying to dodge drunken youths on a Saturday night, the last thing they are concerned with is the fact that “they don’t control the system, it controls them”.

Sarcasm to one side, I take these elections very seriously, and have studied ALL the party candidate submissions carefully. So what stood out? To be honest, it was the relevance of all the candidates’ submissions. In true GMTV style, here’s a list of questions. Read them, and then see who said what. (This little quiz will cost you nothing, and I shall make no money from it! Keep going, it’s worth it. I have colour coded the answers for the BNP)

WHO SAID WHAT

1. “Disgusted with Labour….. Who have done nothing for the town apart from making promises”
2. “Very interested in the economic regeneration of the town”
3. “To restore control of local govt to local people”.
4. “Calling for a reduction in violent crime and anti social behaviour in the town”
5. “To work…. To press for the Council’s housing stock to be modernised”
6. “To see more service form children”
7. “Believes children should have access to…. Safe areas to play away from busy roads”
8. “To make the community a better place”
9. “Put real issues on the agenda”

THE ANSWERS

1. BNP
2. INDEPENDENT
3. UKIP
4. CONSERVATIVE
5. LABOUR
6. PROGRESSIVE
7. GREEN
8. LIB DEMS
9. SOCIALIST

I would defy any sane individual resident of South Tyneside to disagree with any of the statements above. However, where the problems occur is when we see who said them. Here then, is the crux of local political elections. Look at the larger picture, and cast your vote wisely. What we need is representation, regardless of political baggage, so vote for the candidate who you think will deliver this!