Local democracy and morality

Cllr Ralph Baldwin, a Conservative councillor on Barking and Dagenham Council who had previously been in the Labour Group, says corruption undermines democracy, allowing extremists to exploit grievances

You know us Brits always shy away from dogma, from preaching, and from not being allowed to ask questions of those in religious, political, commercial and other high positions.  We do not like being told what to do when it comes to running our lives, except when it comes to a certain morality which does us all credit.  You can of course prevail on a moral course using arguments that are merely logical, and achieve your end by showing that the clear majority benefit, using true debate and reason.  

Our system at the moment is locked.  Corruption has placed all parties in a quagmire, my own experience with Labour showed that corruption was not only encouraged it was protected, nurtured along with a hatred of democracy and freedom, by the very Leadership itself.

Of course the Conservative Party has similar issues except both necessity and some courage have meant we have seen some changes enacted and to be enacted by David Cameron and the Conservative party. I am an ex-serviceman, was never an Officer, never took that road, am a science graduate, a practising Christian, and am totally devoted to democracy. 

There will always be a need for discipline in the political Parties it goes without saying, that when asked to vote we support our party on those issues that are advocated by the Membership and the Leadership.  Coalition makes this diluted and frustrating as well as bizarre occurrence due to the wide range of ideas generated by the Lib Dems who seem to go backwards instead of forwards due to their lack of understanding of the political reality as long as I have known them.

I have had the honour, and I am proud to use that word to meet with many Conservatives of late who I believe give hope of addressing the political problems this country faces.  However I also believe a member of the political "elite" as they term themselves, cannot do this as things stand currently due to lack of public trust and faith. They cannot do this because they operate from the wrong premise.  

We need a renewed democracy and a renewed economy, we need some regulation in places and freedoms restored and strengthened in others, but we lack the pragmatic know-how amongst all of the political parties who practice pseudo-science instead to forge policy, policy that has become strange, obscure and weird.  

In his defence David Cameron, despite Coalition has clearly recognised the limits of the political elite and kept a very flexible policy position, hence the "U-turns".  But this is a temporary methodology as people prefer consistent policy implementation.  It is however no worse than the methodology of Gordon Brown, Balls and Miliband which was steal ideas, no matter how poorly thought out or from what context and force them onto the public in a dogmatic and judgemental manner.

As I write this I am preparing to meet my Conservative colleagues in highlighting once more the corruption on a Labour council, just as Peter Golds, Conservative Leader of Tower Hamlets battles against voter fraud, I find myself doing the same thing, not fighting for a policy position and highlighting policy errors on the council, but fighting for democracy that permits the very debate millions died for to bestow upon us lucky descendents.  Fighting so that one day I can engage in the practice of politics, whilst during meetings malpractice, corruption and dysfunction bury legal process and democracy deep underground.  

The Labour Political "Leadership" who are so mighty they had to employ their own brothers, sisters, husbands and wives to senior positions have created a new generation of politician, that is ignorant of the importance of democratic process, has allowed the far right to gain a foothold in our Country, worse of all they have attacked and disgraced the sacrifice of people who have been slaughtered, who perished for us on battlefields across the Globe and spat on their memory so they could fill their pockets.  

The truth of their inability to change is highlighted in their promoting a lazy beneficiary of all this and made him their policy advisor, a man who helped the BNP establish themselves and then tried to milk it for all it was worth.  A glutton of the corrupt greedy and lazy Left.

The Conservatives now have to lead, they have to make politics a little bit cleaner, it can never be pure and we should always fear inquisitions and hypocrisy. But it is my genuine belief that you can make people positive and passionate about being Conservative again, Labour has become an abomination and it is all there for the taking. Conservatives have become the true advocates of freedom and Democracy, especially regarding Europe and the gradual move towards that referendum most of us sense is now on its way.

I beseech all other elected Conservatives to think about this and to give life to the Localism Bill and open up debate in their localities and include local groups, churches and charities and come back to Conservative Home or other media and report on how you are making a difference...on how you are involving people and growing our democracy.  

Have young innovators report to schools about their successes and local Politicians show how they facilitated change and kept taxes, the cost of living down. Who knows maybe once again (and the signs are there from the comments made by the Prime Minister during PMQ's) be a leading nation that educates by example.

Finally it's essential Conservatives try and get the message out, and truly identify the decline and depravations of a long corrupt Labour Party.

It will mean discipline to not be like them but if you want a Conservative Government and not a Coalition it is going to mean we all make sacrifices, money alone will not win us victory, but winning the debate both on the doorstep and in the media will and so far you are all winning the argument. I see it every day when a Conservative backbencher speaks out, when an argument occurs on Conservative Home. Conservatives have to believe they are as much the advocates of democracy and freedom as they do their own party!