Well the months flown by since I submitted my nomination papers and became a candidate. So what’s happened?
There are 4 party candidates who must answer to their political parties and then there’s me, Independent, answerable only to the people of North East Somerset, most of the party campaigning has been on national and international issues and very little concern for the local issues.
The reality is that my campaign has remained consistent throughout, with Police, community policing and crime at the top of the agenda, the 4 main parties have jumped on any agenda popular on any given day like a pack of hounds fighting over a bone (or a Fox if Jacob has his way).
The reality is that there are 650 MP’s each with an equal vote in parliament on national and international issues, within North East Somerset there is only 1 MP this MP can make a huge difference to our lives.
We seem to be stuck in a political institution that worries only about headline issues and ignores the problems that confront us every day when we walk out of our front door, take the kids to school, drive to work, do the weekly shopping.
Issue like: Are we safe, can I get a GP appointment, will my kids get into the best school, can I afford the rent?
We have increasing levels of bureaucracy, Metro Mayor, Police & Crime Commissioner, B&NES and of course Parish and Town Councils so from this list who’s got your back?
• Who is coordinating all these people, holding them to account making sure they are working for you?
• Who is creating an economic plan and making sure that we get more police and health services to cope with the increases in housing?
• Who is holding our Metro Mayor and P&CC to account to provide better community policing and transport links?
• Who is going to monitor Virgin Care to make sure our elderly get the promised service level?
The answer should be your MP but the previous 7 years has shown that our current MP is interested only in his Westminster career and not North East Somerset.
When you vote tomorrow, it is important to consider both National and Local issues, Brexit will take years to reach a full conclusion, but regeneration of our high streets, generating employment opportunities, community policing, coordinated housing and services plan, these can all start tomorrow with the right MP.
Let’s put North East Somerset first.