A green mayor

[syd]

I agree it would be great to hear from


Councillor Corin Ashwell
Sydenham
Lewisham Green Party Group

Councillor Tanya Dunne
Sydenham
Lewisham Green Party Group

Councillor Markus Michelucci
Sydenham
Lewisham Green Party Group

And online surgeries please!

[Just John]

Just remember

less than 17% of the Lewisham electorate, (10% of the population) voted for the Green mayor.

Marginally more voted for Green councillors.

There is no mandate for them to make changes. Given they claim to favour proportional representation, then they should address the clear imbalance and provide honourary places on the council for those they have so undemocratically replaced.

[stuart]

Think this through JJ. If they don't have a mandate - who does? Do we cancel Brexit because only a minority of the electorate voted for it? Do you cancel every government we have had?

If you want something to happen - you vote for it. 40% voted Green. In total the 'left' got about 75% of the vote in Lewisham. A proportional representation would probably be a Green/Lab coalition. Any happier? Or do you think the stay-at-homes who can't even be bothered to spoil their vote should rule OK? Who is to do it for them?

Alternatively how will we get a vote for anarchy?

[Just John]

Think this through JJ. If they don't have a mandate - who does? Do we cancel Brexit because only a minority of the electorate voted for it? Do you cancel every government we have had?

If you want something to happen - you vote for it. 40% voted Green. In total the 'left' got about 75% of the vote in Lewisham. A proportional representation would probably be a Green/Lab coalition. Any happier? Or do you think the stay-at-homes who can't even be bothered to spoil their vote should rule OK? Who is to do it for them?

Alternatively how will we get a vote for anarchy?

The majority voted for Brexit. In a straight yes or no question, those who do not vote are voting for whatever the majority votes for.

Just as the present Government has no mandate, neither do the local Greens. Both are usurping their position and acting ultra virens to imposes their personal preferences. In Lewisham this means obstructing the highway with metal sheds while refusing to maintain courtesy disabled bays , repairing humps and maintaining road surfaces. When the numbers voting for the "winner" as such a low proportion of the population the "winner" enjoys only permission to administer, not impose.

[stuart]

The majority voted for Brexit. In a straight yes or no question, those who do not vote are voting for whatever the majority votes for.

Brexit was negotiated and signed by Boris' minority government. By your argument we should still be in the EU. Another government (Theresa's?) may have left the EU on EEA or similar terms which was advocated in the Leave campaign. We never got a vote on that and we all know why.

Local elections are also not a binary vote. The only binary vote is in the council chamber to approve/disapprove a resolution.. The only way for that to reflect the wishes of the majority of electors is to have proportional or first preference election voting.

Until then no Lewisham or Westminster election will likely be elected by the majority unlike London. The alternative is to accept the party with a majority or anarchy. Anarchy is probably worse. On the other hand people taking to the streets aren't pushing for abolishing FPTP or Anarchy so you are stuck with the status quo until it finally dies because no one can see a future in achieving an absolute majority.

Stuart

[Just John]

The majority voted for Brexit. In a straight yes or no question, those who do not vote are voting for whatever the majority votes for.

Brexit was negotiated and signed by Boris' minority government. By your argument we should still be in the EU. Another government (Theresa's?) may have left the EU on EEA or similar terms which was advocated in the Leave campaign. We never got a vote on that and we all know why.

Local elections are also not a binary vote. The only binary vote is in the council chamber to approve/disapprove a resolution.. The only way for that to reflect the wishes of the majority of electors is to have proportional or first preference election voting.

Until then no Lewisham or Westminster election will likely be elected by the majority unlike London. The alternative is to accept the party with a majority or anarchy. Anarchy is probably worse. On the other hand people taking to the streets aren't pushing for abolishing FPTP or Anarchy so you are stuck with the status quo until it finally dies because no one can see a future in achieving an absolute majority.

Stuart

You are wrong about the EU referendum. As for the rest the matter is about democracy. Politicians are elected to "SERVE" the electorate and to ascertain the will of the majority and implement it. They are not elected to set about delivering their personal whims. Councils do not exercise control of events. When the Officer recomendation is rejected, the officers simply wait two months and change a few words and put it forward again. They know that the matter will not be in the minutes of the last meeting and so the elected members will have forgotten it.

Some of us have worked in the corridors of "power". Some of us know exactly how the will of the electorate is delibately denied. Those elected have less influence than those who manage to have a letter published in a newspaper.

[stuart]

Politicians are elected to "SERVE" the electorate and to ascertain the will of the majority and implement it.

Except that's explicitly not the way our government works now or has ever been. The PM has only to have the confidence of a majority of the house who are elected on FPTP. So no majority of the electorate is ever going to be the a representitive majority under our constitution. Not always a bad thing. Protection of minorities is vital - as we all are in a minority in some respect. You and I , for instance, appear to be a part of the minority gender - if women were to vote for removing our vote would you agree?

I'll leave it there 'cos I don't see a consensus coming real soon.