Comments on: The rise of the independent candidate http://www.nouse.co.uk/2010/04/20/the-rise-of-the-independent-candidate/ Award-winning University of York Student Newspaper and Website Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:59:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Denny http://www.nouse.co.uk/2010/04/20/the-rise-of-the-independent-candidate/#comment-71750 Denny Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:31:54 +0000 http://www.nouse.co.uk/?p=23624#comment-71750 My own platform offers a fairly solid guarantee against influence by lobbyists and sponsors, as my decisions are being made right out in the open, and not by me alone. Anyone wanting to sway my vote would have to sway my constituents' votes - a completely different kind of lobbying and persuasion, and one it would be much harder to do behind closed doors. All of the independent candidates I've spoken with over the last month have fairly explicit commitments to openness and transparency of decision-making written into the heart of their manifestos, and a great many of us are also very strong on accountability - requiring MPs to explain their decisions, allowing MPs to be recalled by their constituents if they do a poor job, and so on. These are the things which, to independents, seem like the most basic and obvious features of being an honest and representative MP - ask yourself if you can say the same for your local party representative. My own platform offers a fairly solid guarantee against influence by lobbyists and sponsors, as my decisions are being made right out in the open, and not by me alone. Anyone wanting to sway my vote would have to sway my constituents’ votes – a completely different kind of lobbying and persuasion, and one it would be much harder to do behind closed doors.

All of the independent candidates I’ve spoken with over the last month have fairly explicit commitments to openness and transparency of decision-making written into the heart of their manifestos, and a great many of us are also very strong on accountability – requiring MPs to explain their decisions, allowing MPs to be recalled by their constituents if they do a poor job, and so on. These are the things which, to independents, seem like the most basic and obvious features of being an honest and representative MP – ask yourself if you can say the same for your local party representative.

]]> By: Marc http://www.nouse.co.uk/2010/04/20/the-rise-of-the-independent-candidate/#comment-71721 Marc Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:44:58 +0000 http://www.nouse.co.uk/?p=23624#comment-71721 If the Independent is endorsed by the Independent Network then you can be sure he or she has policies and will be a truly Independent MP who will support the constituency. In Hexham there is Steven Ford - see his website, www.stevenford.co.uk, and you will see what he will do for Hexham. If you are away from your constituency on May 6th, I hope you have organised your postal vote or nominated a proxy to vote for you. If not then you must ask to go home for the day. The Under 30s need to have a voice and the only way to do that is to get involved. If the Independent is endorsed by the Independent Network then you can be sure he or she has policies and will be a truly Independent MP who will support the constituency. In Hexham there is Steven Ford – see his website, http://www.stevenford.co.uk, and you will see what he will do for Hexham.

If you are away from your constituency on May 6th, I hope you have organised your postal vote or nominated a proxy to vote for you. If not then you must ask to go home for the day. The Under 30s need to have a voice and the only way to do that is to get involved.

]]> By: Vanessa D-M http://www.nouse.co.uk/2010/04/20/the-rise-of-the-independent-candidate/#comment-71696 Vanessa D-M Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:49:09 +0000 http://www.nouse.co.uk/?p=23624#comment-71696 You raise an interesting point about sponsors influencing independents. Whether this would be comparable to the influence of party whips I don’t know. Certainly one of the dangers of independents in this election is that they may have entered without any definite policies, just hoping to ride the wave of anger against party politicians. But then again it is the independents with political experience and credentials – such as Khizar Iqbal who has been in politics for 11 years – who will always be more likely to be elected than candidates like Richard Jackson. You raise an interesting point about sponsors influencing independents. Whether this would be comparable to the influence of party whips I don’t know.
Certainly one of the dangers of independents in this election is that they may have entered without any definite policies, just hoping to ride the wave of anger against party politicians. But then again it is the independents with political experience and credentials – such as Khizar Iqbal who has been in politics for 11 years – who will always be more likely to be elected than candidates like Richard Jackson.

]]> By: ~J http://www.nouse.co.uk/2010/04/20/the-rise-of-the-independent-candidate/#comment-71691 ~J Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:29:33 +0000 http://www.nouse.co.uk/?p=23624#comment-71691 If there were a serious independent candidate with clear-cut policies and a definite aim to represent the constituency, I could see them doing well. More often than not, however, they are not as reliable or experienced as other candidates. Richard Jackson, York Outer's only independent (now withdrawn), is just a taxi driver who thinks that MPs are abusing the system. But he has no relevant experience and is virtually unknown to the people. On the other hand, the well-funded and experienced independent candidates such as Galloway (or at least for the purposes of this point) are not going to be able to dedicate much time to their constituency and even more than main parties will be controlled by sponsors. Independent councillors are a much safer bet - but it'd take someone known and good to make me vote independent for MP. If there were a serious independent candidate with clear-cut policies and a definite aim to represent the constituency, I could see them doing well. More often than not, however, they are not as reliable or experienced as other candidates. Richard Jackson, York Outer’s only independent (now withdrawn), is just a taxi driver who thinks that MPs are abusing the system. But he has no relevant experience and is virtually unknown to the people.

On the other hand, the well-funded and experienced independent candidates such as Galloway (or at least for the purposes of this point) are not going to be able to dedicate much time to their constituency and even more than main parties will be controlled by sponsors. Independent councillors are a much safer bet – but it’d take someone known and good to make me vote independent for MP.

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