Why Is Party Politics Bad For Our Country and County?

Putting Somerset Residents First

Across the Somerset Independents website, and elsewhere, we often state our shared belief:

"The Westminster parties almost always let you down. The local branches of the London parties - Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Greens - always let you down. They are party political puppets that put themselves and their party first, and you and our County a very distant second."

There are so many examples of this, that we could not show them all on just one website.

One recent example is the pledge - on successive General Election manifestos - by the Conservative Party and the Labour Party - to keep the Free TV Licence for Over 75s.

They consistently promised to keep it, and to avoid a means-test.

But now it's gone - and the Tories are trying to blame the BBC for it. It was a political decision by Government, and the BBC has foolishly carried the can for the Conservative Government's con trick.

The Free TV Licence is just another promise broken and another example of General Election manifestos being a big con.

If you want another example - how about the following one?

The Conservative Party has withdrawn its support in Parliament ("The Whip") from a long-standing and highly-respected expert on defence, intelligence and related matters - Dr Julian Lewis, MP for New Forest East. Dr Lewis now becomes an "Independent" MP.

Why is this relevant to Somerset?

Yesterday, we called for the Liberal Democrat Chair of Mendip District Council's Audit Committee to be replaced with an Independent. Why?

Because the audit of a Council that is at risk of suffering harshly from Covid-19 complications, is too important for party politics. Yesterday's article goes into more detail, but what matters more than being an apologist for a failing Minority Administration is having the right person for the job.

In Mendip District Council's case, we do not believe that the right person can be the Lib Dem Councillor, for many good reasons. An Independent councillor would be much better in that role.

In the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC)'s case, that person is newly-Independent MP Dr Julian Lewis. He had been a Conservative MP for a long time and he was respected by his peers across parties, for his expertise on defence matters.

Former Tory MP Dominic Grieve and former Chair of the ISC, said in the BBC report:

"The committee can only exist, the committee can only be respected... if it is seen to be non-partisan, and independent."

We totally agree. Yet the Westminster parties still carry on, manipulating the system for their own gain, putting their puppets in positions, rather than putting the best people in, for the national interest. That is the case in Somerset and it is the case in Westminster too.

Our Leader Andrew Pope stood against Dr Lewis in the 2015 General Election, before he became more enlightened and resigned from the Labour Party that same year to become an Independent campaigner and councillor. Andrew says:

"I disagreed then and still do, with Dr Lewis on very many issues. The issue that I agreed with him the most on, was defence. Like Julian, I too have a background in the defence industry, working for Government and private contractors.

Despite challenging Julian at the election and at the hustings events, one of the most hilarious situations that we shared was at one of the Election hustings.

Unbelievably, the Green candidate cited the education of Iraqis about birds and bees that would encourage peace - in response to a serious question from a member of the public about armed conflict, nuclear weapons and International Relations. Trying to keep a straight face on the stage was difficult for us as Parliamentary candidates!

What has happened with the ISC is that the Conservative Party has shown that it is willing to put serial failure 'Failing Chris Grayling' in such an important role for our Country. He would have been another party political puppet for the Tories. Who knows what peril he would have put our country in?

The Conservative Party wanted a puppet like Chris Grayling instead of the credible candidate Julian Lewis! What an absolute joke - I can't stop laughing about it, but it is deadly serious.

I am pleased that the members of the ISC voted Dr Lewis in. Let's hope that they keep him there. Bearing in mind that according to the legislation that created the ISC, the Leader of the Opposition has to be consulted for nominations, and presumably for their removal, I would love to hear such a conversation between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer. Sir Starmer might even break a smile.

I wish Dr Lewis well in his new-found status as an Independent MP, although I would question how 'independent' he will be, considering his record and that he remains a member of the Conservative Party until he resigns or has his membership revoked by Party apparatchiks. But that's London parties for you.

We hope that Dr Lewis puts his Country before his former Party, and carries out his duties in the national interest and not in his former Party's interest. I would send him an e-mail wishing him well, but he doesn't respond to emails."