Party Politics at Parish Level

So far with these blogs, I have written them from the point of view of someone who thinks about political issues and then writes about them. I want more people to be interested in politics and then get involved. It is difficult to get involved without joining a party as I have mentioned in a few blogs. Well today I will mention that I am a member of the Liberal Democrats. I have stood for them in the past and I am a candidate for the Morecambe Parish Council and for the Lancashire County Council in Morecambe West. Both elections along with the European election are to be held on Thursday 4th June.

In Morecambe we have an Independent Party. I have also written about the value of Independents previously. It is great to see that people can be moved to act politically as individuals. At parish level you often find that there are no political parties, just individuals who make up the council. In Morecambe’s case, the council was instigated by a party. The Liberal Democrats decided to fight this election with our party name. The Labour Party decided to change their name to ‘Residents First’, presumably to keep party politics out of parish elections (but more likely to get more votes as they are still Labour Party candidates) and the Conservative Party candidates have no party name next to theirs. The Independent Party kept their name.

So should parties keep their name? The Independents prefer people to politics, whatever this means. I presume the no-name Tories prefer no parties but they have to recognise that they are standing because they are Tories. Labour are confused about their image but act as a party. The simple answer is yes. There are far too few people interested in politics and if you act as part of a party it would be dishonest to disguise it.

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