Mike Hill has a pop at the two Hart councillors

[Grumblstiltskin]

David, don't you think the time to step back up is nigh?

[Inspector Knacker]

I really can't take the bloke seriously. I've heard the praise 'sank without a trace' but appears to have 'rose without a trace'. If he's the Labour candidate at the next election I'll be astounded.
His sole purpose as MP is to say nothing to frighten the electorate, take any and every photo opportunity to say nice things about nice things as the polar opposite of controversy. I believes he's here to keep the seat warm and present a benign, safe image of the Party.
He'll keep banging out the same mantra till they take his batteries out and decommission him. To me, he'll always be 'the MP who never was'.

[DRiddle]

David, don't you think the time to step back up is nigh?

Me? as in stand again for council?

[Grumblstiltskin]

David, don't you think the time to step back up is nigh?

Me? as in stand again for council?

Absolutely

[DRiddle]

No, no plans at present to do so. I actually think this May would be the WORST time to get involved. I'd expect the allocation of seats to be broadly similar after May, but hopefully with one or two more of the Labour majority chipped away at.

The far more interesting time for people to get involved would be 2020 in the all outs. If local Labour continue on in their current guise (with CAB as leader) that's when their majority could be cut to wafer thin numbers or perhaps even overturned.

I only hope that there isn't a snap election, for whatever reason, that coincides with the all out. If there WAS, that would probably save labour for another ten years + in Hartlepool.

But if there ISN'T . . . the way the future elections are then split proportionately could come back to bite Labour and allow an opposition to properly bed in.

[fred c]

The simple way to influence the election of a councillor is to offer some support, Independent candidates often have very little support either financially or logistically, all to often users of this forum offer sound opinions on issues but it's left at that.

Come May 2019 & 2020 if we want to influence the make up of our council we should be prepared to front up, a donation of £50 / £100 pounds into an Independents Fund would go a long way to helping those candidates.

Leaflets and postage need to be paid for, but equally important is the foot soldiers on the ground, it would be massively helpful if in the weeks running up to election day candidates could depend on people to offer 3 or 4 hours a week to leaflet drop and canvas for candidates.

If people are serious about getting a non party council, they need to do more than just come up with opinions, we need to get involved in the election process.

[Inspector Knacker]

Can I point out it's not quite as simple as that. Sometimes your employment or other circumstances makes  participation in politics something that would not be acceptable.

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

Can I point out it's not quite as simple as that. Sometimes your employment or other circumstances makes  participation in politics something that would not be acceptable.

That's very true. Under some circumstances to be seen to participate in political activities could be a form of career suicide. In addition, the venom shown by certain 'strains' against what they perceive as opposition would make some people nervous of being identified and vilified.

[fred c]

I can understand it if your employment precludes you from taking part in a leafletting campaign, but making an anonymous contribution towards the leaflets would be just that "anonymous" ......a bit like voting, you vote anonymously.

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

I can understand it if your employment precludes you from taking part in a leafletting campaign, but making an anonymous contribution towards the leaflets would be just that "anonymous" ......a bit like voting, you vote anonymously.

That's true.

[Grumblstiltskin]

I've always wondered about the "anonymous" vote, the ballot papers they use have a number linked to your name and they tick it off as you register, may just be paranoia on my part though

[jawsbbc]

I've always wondered about the "anonymous" vote, the ballot papers they use have a number linked to your name and they tick it off as you register,( may just be paranoia on my part though)

may just be paranoia on my part though   you have every right to be paranoid when  my daughter went to vote at jutland road i noticed maj james sitting inside of the polling station with a tablet and a small black book tucked under it as my daughter went into the large room to cast her vote the guy said her number loud enough for  myself  and maj james to hear she then  wrote  it down i asked my daughter to go  back in to take a pic of her  as  i knew maj james should not have been there  i then circulated it to everyone  resulting in hbc going into meltdown (damage limitation as they do )

[DRiddle]

Yeah i remember that. Bit of a fudge of an excuse by the borough solicitor of the time saying she wasn't actually doing what everyone could clearly see she WAS doing.

Still, the photo on social media helped scatter her. Good work.

[Inspector Knacker]

I'm surprised she didn't say she was train spotting. Mind you, she could have been train crash spotting and her local party leadership is one hell of a train crash.

[Hartlepudlion]

Don't forget that a current HBC employee cannot stand as a Councillor.

Isn't this a denial of a persons Human Rights?