Whilst I agree with the sentiments expressed, I also have reservations. I live in Croydon where the combination of Croydon Council and our elected mayor is very far from a success story. The publication 'Inside Croydon' frequently reports on the corruption, incompetence and stupidity we have to live with. To put that into perspective, council employees are forbidden to read it on their work laptops; Orwellian censorship at the heart of governance. Yes, I see increased devolution as a positive, but checks and balances must be in place, and transparency is essential. Manchester maybe a shining example - Croydon is not.
I agree with all that you have written. Devolution and electoral change are both needed both to stop the powerfully rich from dominating the political scene and to regain our demovracy, which IS declining with each successive government. But I would also ask that "Friends of Israel" be BANNED from lobbying, donating, or sponsoring any prospective Parliamentary candidate. In another guise (AIPAC & APJAC) they own American & partially own the Australian government. They, too, are a danger to our democracy, as they have been to the UNITED States.
The concern with decentralisation of power as the Labour government currently have it is that for many it appears to centralise power away from them. Existing district councils are closer to the people and in many areas achieve better representation of the variety of communities within them. Creating an all powerful county council removes effective representation from the rural communities within the county, because the large urban concentrations will tend to become the focus for that council.
I'm rather worried about what happens when different devolved authorities starting making different decisions about where to direct limited resources.
Before too long people in authority A will be complaining about a post code lottery that means people in authority B receive some health care benefit they don't, because authority B is spending money on health care that A is spending on SEN children.
At the same time parents of SEN children in authority B will be making similar complaints about how their children are losing out in comparison with families in A.
We the UK Need Proportional Representation NOW¡!
Proven the world over to keep extremists out of power....
We do! WE DO! And we need it yesterday!
Whilst I agree with the sentiments expressed, I also have reservations. I live in Croydon where the combination of Croydon Council and our elected mayor is very far from a success story. The publication 'Inside Croydon' frequently reports on the corruption, incompetence and stupidity we have to live with. To put that into perspective, council employees are forbidden to read it on their work laptops; Orwellian censorship at the heart of governance. Yes, I see increased devolution as a positive, but checks and balances must be in place, and transparency is essential. Manchester maybe a shining example - Croydon is not.
I agree with all that you have written. Devolution and electoral change are both needed both to stop the powerfully rich from dominating the political scene and to regain our demovracy, which IS declining with each successive government. But I would also ask that "Friends of Israel" be BANNED from lobbying, donating, or sponsoring any prospective Parliamentary candidate. In another guise (AIPAC & APJAC) they own American & partially own the Australian government. They, too, are a danger to our democracy, as they have been to the UNITED States.
The concern with decentralisation of power as the Labour government currently have it is that for many it appears to centralise power away from them. Existing district councils are closer to the people and in many areas achieve better representation of the variety of communities within them. Creating an all powerful county council removes effective representation from the rural communities within the county, because the large urban concentrations will tend to become the focus for that council.
I'm rather worried about what happens when different devolved authorities starting making different decisions about where to direct limited resources.
Before too long people in authority A will be complaining about a post code lottery that means people in authority B receive some health care benefit they don't, because authority B is spending money on health care that A is spending on SEN children.
At the same time parents of SEN children in authority B will be making similar complaints about how their children are losing out in comparison with families in A.
Any thoughts on how to avoid this?
That's why our representative should be elected under a system that closely reflects what the people want/need.
We the UK Need Proportional Representation NOW¡!
But this already happens across the NHS, including ambulances, the Police Force, the Fire Service, and Social Care.
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