Why am I standing in the local elections is a question I oft ask myself. It's a waste of effort said old comrades, “you'll not do owt!” laughed my workmates; I even had last minute doubts over aims and possibilities - enough to try and withdraw but too late, that deadline had passed.
Why stand?
One or two likes on a facebook comment and the past two weeks letters pages in the Wakefield Express were the final encouragement to stick to my guns. That and an existing conviction that this really ought be election season and time to get the ball rolling.
Our political class is in obvious crisis and us public are all too aware of this. People are angry and frustrated at the outward inertia of that lot in Parliament and their inner manoeuvrings. Myself and a small group of volunteers are attempting to focus that sentiment and provide some direction. A bit much for a local election maybe but with a political class using every procedure, every rule they can dig or make up to avoid the public it seemed like the best time to initiate a campaign for a full Brexit and a General Election.
Mighty aims indeed for the People's Republic of Horbury and South Ossett yet any doubts about the nature of the campaign disappeared as soon as we hit the trail.
Neighbours who know me good, bad and ugly readily took up the message, one man from just out of the electoral ward offered himself and his son to come out leafleting. Another after reading a leaflet left on his car windscreen approached me to deliver some 500 and rang the next day for more. I've had impromptu hustings at barbecues in back gardens, some of the rocknroll crowd at a local gig took leaflets away wishing we were standing for them. We are!
All good stuff and much potential. So much potential that many who voted to remain in the EU agree with our aims - they've had enough of our politicians. The argument about leave or remain just doesn't come up.
This isn't to take the small influence gained for granted; credibility can so easily be lost – being misinterpreted, saying the wrong thing, bigging ourselves up further afield. That said, those approached know exactly what's at stake and are glad of this opportunity.
'That lot' have had nearly three years to come up with . . . nothing, in fact worse than what we started with. Three years plus an, at least, six month extension. An extension they were told to use wisely. So they went off on holiday leaving us a fascinating month of wrangling and scheming before they face the European parliament elections . . . and the Brexit Party.
If they dare. This situation has become far too important to leave to our panic-stricken, largely self-interested so-called representatives. The majority of them clearly don't want Brexit and clearly don't know what to do. It's time we told them 'time's up!' We need to limit their technical, evasive approach. And room to manoeuvre.
The electorate have been sidelined, taken for granted. This campaign aims to put us in the driving seat – have some of that democracy everyone goes on about.
We need to clear the decks - we need a General Election.
In Horbury and South Ossett we're moving to the next phase of our campaign – Nota . . ? None of the above? 'Nota' is a direct counterpoint to 'Tina' – there is no alternative (other contenders included the voncc – the vote of no confidence campaign, whatever, am open to suggestions.) This is a directed petitioning of the electorate to recall our local MPs Mary Creagh and Yvette Cooper – any in the crosshairs attempting to bypass democracy. Which is pretty much all of them.
We're going for it, recognising mistakes will be made and things perhaps a little messy but things become a lot clearer once you start getting involved.
Our politicians have had a barely earned fortnight off. I'm on holiday this week. I'm using it as candidate in the local elections promoting all the above.
Need to know more?
Want to join in?
Want to coordinate with a stall, petition, door-knocking campaign?
harrop.mark@gmail.com
