Barlow's Beef: I predict a riot (Kaiser Chiefs 2005)

vicbarlowmerlin

So, despite the vast majority of MP's rejecting Jeremy Corbyn as leader Labour Party members returned him to office with an even larger majority than he had before the election.
Regardless of the most aggressive PR exercise ever carried out by all major UK political parties to coerce the electorate into voting Remain the majority voted Leave.

With a plethora of experienced, articulate and educated Republican politicians running for the Presidency of the United States voters opted for the outrageous Donald Trump, a man repeatedly rejected by the party he represents.

The political elite are gnashing their teeth and wondering if the world has gone mad. Mr Cameron was so certain of victory in the Brexit campaign he had no Plan B whatsoever.

Mr Corbyn was a lame duck leader as far as the Parliamentary Labour Party was concerned, most of who publicly castigated him and/or resigned in a blaze of condemnation.

These events are not the work of public insanity but the widespread rejection of the political establishment. Donald Trump wasn't elected to be the Republican front-runner because of his genius. Appalling as he may be he was preferred to any 'insider'. The more the Establishment rejected him... the more votes he received.

Mr Corbyn is the ultimate outsider. Farther from Tony Blair's Cool Britannia he could not be. Labour politicians were happy to see him on the Leadership ballot at 500-1. They're not so happy now.

There's really nothing left to say about Brexit other than it defied the express wishes of the entire political establishment effectively ending the career of our Prime Minister and a Chancellor whose bullying inevitably led to tears (his).

There's a trend at work here but the political elite just don't get it. Voters are simply tired of a 'democracy' that does not work for them.

Cheshire East categorically stated they were instigating a Brownfield first policy. We all know what's happened since. We were informed the primary reason for building houses on the Greenbelt was to fulfil the national need for 'affordable homes.' Where are they?

Communities got shafted while developers connived, argued and bullied councils to build precisely what they wanted where they wanted. Those families desperate for affordable homes weren't on the agenda. If they were the numbers were tiny compared to the large expensive homes favoured by developers.

In the end Cheshire East neither protected the Greenbelt or provided affordable homes and will no doubt shrug their shoulders with the 'nothing we could do about it' mentality they resort to whenever they ignore the people they represent.

The political elite need to come out of denial before more Donald Trumps rise to power. Voters are desperate to have their views represented rather than dismissed by an arrogant political class.

If 80 percent of a 'public consultation vote against a building policy that ultimately gets approved are they supposed to see that as a victory for democracy?

When virtually no one agrees with the pay off packages CEC dole out to short term executives from taxpayers' money are they going to feel their opinions count?

The 'surprises' voters keep springing on the establishment are nothing more than rejection of the status quo shown in the only way left open to law abiding people.

It's time to make democracy do what it says on the tin.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of wilmslow.co.uk.

Tags:
Barlows Beef, Vic Barlow
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Comments

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DELETED ACCOUNT
Tuesday 18th October 2016 at 7:23 am
Cheshire East do have a "brownfield first" policy - but it only applies in Crewe and Macclesfield, and not very much there. Elsewhere they have consistently refused to factor in brownfield sites on the grounds that they are insignificant. Meanwhile the large developers are handed swathes of Green Belt land in return for "monies" which Cheshire East will then use for infrastructure, - in other words to put right the problems created by building on the Green Belt. The problems stem from how Cheshire East has chosen to "big up" demand - again just as the developers wanted.
Vince Chadwick
Wednesday 19th October 2016 at 9:28 am
"Regardless of the most aggressive PR exercise ever carried out by all major UK political parties to coerce the electorate into voting Remain the majority voted Leave."

Victor, That's not what I remember. I remember a lot of outright lies from 'Leave' and genuine experts, who knew what they were talking about in support of 'Remain' being poo-pooed by 'Leave' as 'Project Fear'. Interesting that once 'Leave' got the result they craved, the liars fled for the hills along with Cameron who had foolishly allowed the whole debacle to take place.

Professor Michael Dougan of Liverpool University, a leading EU lawyer in his assessment of the aftermath of Brexit said "the leave campaign were guilty of dishonesty on an industrial scale". He bases this on the fact that 'Leave' based their campaign on constitutional and legal issues, and as the Professor is a constitutional lawyer in just these areas, it was relatively easy for him to investigate and evaluate those issues.

After so doing, he has no hesitation whatsoever in concluding that 'Leave' conducted "one of the most dishonest political campaigns this country has ever seen".

He goes on to explain, calmly and logically, why that is. Have a look at his presentation on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dosmKwrAbI
Bob Bracegirdle
Wednesday 19th October 2016 at 9:39 am
What the local electorate don't understand is that Councils may not have been bullied by developers but seen that if they refuse permission to build on greenfield land the Minister in London will reverse it on appeal and there'll be an enormous waste of taxpayers' money for no change in the result. Their problem is with London not Cheshire.

And don't get me going on Brexit. 36% isn't a majority. Just a majority of those who voted. Still waiting for that £350million for the NHS too. One useless campaign to remain and one lying evil campaign to leave. Nice one.