30 April (Part 2) - Green for Go. Red for Stop
I had no idea that Bonkers was so widely read, and maybe it isn’t outside
election periods. Yesterday I received emails and WhatsApps from every party
putting up candidates in Bexley apart from the Unionist Coalition which is
standing in Belvedere and Crook Log. Oh, I have forgotten the Liberal
Democrats but there again, hasn’t everyone?
At other times I assume that no one reads Bonkers, that way I don’t have to
think too much of what the reaction might be. As I’ve said many times, Bonkers
is kept alive because I believe it is
important that residents should know what goes on inside the Council Chamber.
Local newspapers are pretty much a dead zone for political news. Few will want
to spend hours watching webcasts so I assume a summary here will benefit busy residents and aid democracy.
Some people seem to agree, “Best wishes and I thoroughly look forward to reading
your column every day as it is the best way to find out what is happening to our neighbourhood” which is taken from another of yesterday’s messages.
People ask me who I expect to win next week but I get very little feedback that
doesn’t come from Social Media which is very much a closed bubble. SM is almost
certain to be a minority view; but if I had to guess I would think Bexley might
go to No Overall Control. I cannot see the Conservatives hanging on to their
majority. The more interesting question might be, will the Greens oust Labour
and become a significant opposition party?
Something you would not expect me to say is that I enjoyed, in every sense of
the word, a correspondence with the Green Party leaders. Not the slightest
indication of nuttiness there and if I pretend for a moment that Zack Polanski does not exist they would seem to be
entirely rational people not easily dismissed. Certainly the Longlands candidate, Anita Paris, is far
preferable to the Labour lady in that ward. Which would you prefer if you were a
committed Socialist for which any sort of conservatism was an anathema? A
lady (Anita - Green) who can write a charming and friendly letter to a political
opposite or one who issues legally backed threats that her name can never
be reported here. Ana Davies - Labour.
Come on Lefties in Longlands, vote Green and put them above Labour in the poll there.
As well as all the party contacts yesterday there was one from Independent James
Hunt. Polls say he is in with a chance in Blackfen & Lamorbey and he knows his
way around Bexley Council. He needs to be there to guide the newcomers. The
Tories will do nothing but put obstacles in their way like they did for UKIP in 2014.
