Bristol City Council has just released its statement of persons nominated for all wards, including Eastville. There are nine candidates in all, two each from the Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems, one Green and one Candidate from the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC). The TUSC candidate, Mark Baker, was my union rep back when I was a civil servant, and I know him to be a passionate fighter for workers' rights. I don't know the Green candidate, Gabrielle Lobb, personally, but I have been a member of the Green Party in the past, and while I may disagree with them on a few issues (though that's a subject for another blog post), there is a lot of good in them too. Remember, there are two councillors in each ward, meaning that you get two votes. Whilst I obviously hope that you will cast one of them for me, I believe that either of the candidates named above would be a better choice for your other vote than any of the "big three" London-based parties.
Meanwhile, there are 13 candidates for the mayoral election, including six independents. George Ferguson is on there twice, having withdrawn his nomination then presumably changed his mind. The Wessex Regionalists have opposed the creation of mayors for some parts of the country, believing it to be based on a desire for "strong" top-down governance, and tied to a city-regions model that ill-serves the proportion of the population that doesn't live in cities (a minority nationally, but a three-quarters majority in Wessex),. One of the latest proposals is for a mayor of East Anglia, and if you think that sounds weird, you begin to see the nature of the problem. Because of this, I feel it would be wrong of me to make a recommendation for an office we don't believe should exist.
I shall be attending a candidate briefing on Wednesday evening, and will let you know more after the event.
Meanwhile, there are 13 candidates for the mayoral election, including six independents. George Ferguson is on there twice, having withdrawn his nomination then presumably changed his mind. The Wessex Regionalists have opposed the creation of mayors for some parts of the country, believing it to be based on a desire for "strong" top-down governance, and tied to a city-regions model that ill-serves the proportion of the population that doesn't live in cities (a minority nationally, but a three-quarters majority in Wessex),. One of the latest proposals is for a mayor of East Anglia, and if you think that sounds weird, you begin to see the nature of the problem. Because of this, I feel it would be wrong of me to make a recommendation for an office we don't believe should exist.
I shall be attending a candidate briefing on Wednesday evening, and will let you know more after the event.