The usual question in an average person`s mind Ah !
Yes ! you may wonder what am I talking about.
I am talking about nothing other than our London Mayoral election of 2012 ...... What else ?
cannot believe how fast time has passed ! it is the fourth election ...... Yes ... Believe me it is the fourth election ...
Mr.Ken Livingston who had two eventful shots approximatley eight years as the London Mayor and then came the colourfull and controversial neverthless interesting Boris Johnston who has been our Mayor for the past four years .....
The question is who ? who is going to be our next mayor ?
Here is the interesting question pops out , what is in it for me ?
Is it right to pose such a question to elect an official representative. Well the answer is I do not know, but on what grounds one makes their choice ?
The policies of the political parties and the politicians who represent them are said to be formulated around the needs of the average person who they say that they intend to help.
If that is the true argument then the question "what is in it for me ?" also becomes a valid question. Perhaps that is the basic question helps a person to make their choice.
a society is a collection of people who as individuals have their own ambitions and needs. But often the ambition exceeds the needs and becomes normal expectation. When that happens the collective thought as a society takes a back seat and the question "what is in it for me?" becomes more important.
I until recently was an ardent Labour supporter but as time went on and I grew older , worked very hard to be where I am now slowly I started to feel that all my hard work has made me a target in the eyes of the so called "socialist" principle speaking people to be punished for what I have.
This opened my views to look wider in the political field for my choices and made me to look carefully into the small prints of what the politicians announce as their policies.
I am only speaking on personal terms as an example. That does not mean that I am a person with massive wealth. I am only a so called middle class person.What ever I have is earned through hard work and sensible living. It is possible for any average person to be where I am now.
What are we seeing today in the Mayoral battle field between the four candidates who are taken very serious and three of them who are serious contenders in which only two seem to have any chance of becoming the Mayor.
Policing, Housing, Transport, Education, Unemployment are few of the areas that candidates are throwing their pledges left , right and centre.
Ken, by default a leftist whose socialist leaning principles attract a lot of Londoners who are made up of large multicultural background.
As a person who is living in the Burrough of Croydon , which falls under the Greater London umbrella, one thing Ken said stuck in my mind.
He has given a pledge that if he becomes the Mayor he would give Croydon people an opportunity to vote in a referendum to leave Greater London and Join Surrey.
It really does not give any assurances for me how I would benefit out of this other than thinking that I might loose on the Freedom Pass that quiet a lot of Croydon fellow people enjoy now.
On the other hand Boris in his colourfull language reitrating his right leanings which embaraces the policies of the party he belongs. But one thing is sure Boris is not afraid to fight his corner for his beleife against his party which happen to be heading the national government.
It puts Brian Paddock in a difficult situation. His party does not enjoy the support of public as they are partners in the existing coalition government which carried through policies which were not supported by grass root Liberal Democrats supporters.
Yes this Mayoral election is being held in an unique situation. Never before a mayoral election held while nationally we were governed by a coalition government.
the parties which are sharing the power at the top are fielding opposing candidates in local elections and Mayoral election.
This may be an example of Democratical system at it`s best but it puts the concerned candidates in a difficult situation.
it may be more evident in Brian Paddock`s propaganda meetings than Boris Johnston.
There are two reasons for this .
Boris is the current mayor and that makes his position easier to campaign on the achievements of his term as the London Mayor secondly Conservative party has been the benefactor of the coalition agreement as they have not compromised heavily on their policies so far.
The only credible argument Brain has on his side is that he was the former Police Superintendent and as the London mayor he will be in charge of policing decisions affecting London, which would give him an advantage over the others.
What about the fourth candidate? The Green Party Leader. I cannot see any feasible policies they offer to London people other than basing their every argument on the Green policy basis.
Let us forget the argument "what is in it for me?" for a minute and look at collective issues facing London people as a whole.
Of course one need to toe party lines in the basic principles but they should not allow that to compromise the development of London.
We need some one who can have long term view which would benefit the present day younger generation to feel that they belong to this great city in the world.
To do this .......
1) Ken,
who already had eight year run as London Mayor. Did he really use his time usefully ? No one would doubt how passionate ken is towards London. He was brave enough to defy his party`s decision to compete for London Mayor when it was first conducted. Should Ken be given another chance coupled with his time out of the post and the previous experience in the post would benefit him to be more successfull
2) Boris ?
How did he do as the Mayor so far? was he bold enough to carry out his convictions? Was he brave enough to fight his own party`s government for the best interest of London? Should he be given another term to carry thorough some of the changes he brought about?
3) Brian ?
I am very doubtful that he would be considered seriously. It is so unfortunate that at the time of the election his party is also sharing the power at the national level and made itself very unpopular.
Well nationally at this very moment Labour party is enjoying a lead in the polls over conservative party. Would this make any difference in the Mayoral Election? Would the public be prepared to separate national issues from local issues ?
Whoever takes over is going to oversee the most prestigious sporting event in this great city. Yes the Olympics ! whether we like it or not in our generation this is the only chance we are seeing Olympics being held in our city.
Who it will be ? May 3rd will provide the answer ?
Once again the important question .......
Are we paying the importance that is deserved to this Mayoral election ?
"What is in it for me?"
Sakthi Sakthithasan
17.04.2012
Yes ! you may wonder what am I talking about.
I am talking about nothing other than our London Mayoral election of 2012 ...... What else ?
cannot believe how fast time has passed ! it is the fourth election ...... Yes ... Believe me it is the fourth election ...
Mr.Ken Livingston who had two eventful shots approximatley eight years as the London Mayor and then came the colourfull and controversial neverthless interesting Boris Johnston who has been our Mayor for the past four years .....
The question is who ? who is going to be our next mayor ?
Here is the interesting question pops out , what is in it for me ?
Is it right to pose such a question to elect an official representative. Well the answer is I do not know, but on what grounds one makes their choice ?
The policies of the political parties and the politicians who represent them are said to be formulated around the needs of the average person who they say that they intend to help.
If that is the true argument then the question "what is in it for me ?" also becomes a valid question. Perhaps that is the basic question helps a person to make their choice.
a society is a collection of people who as individuals have their own ambitions and needs. But often the ambition exceeds the needs and becomes normal expectation. When that happens the collective thought as a society takes a back seat and the question "what is in it for me?" becomes more important.
I until recently was an ardent Labour supporter but as time went on and I grew older , worked very hard to be where I am now slowly I started to feel that all my hard work has made me a target in the eyes of the so called "socialist" principle speaking people to be punished for what I have.
This opened my views to look wider in the political field for my choices and made me to look carefully into the small prints of what the politicians announce as their policies.
I am only speaking on personal terms as an example. That does not mean that I am a person with massive wealth. I am only a so called middle class person.What ever I have is earned through hard work and sensible living. It is possible for any average person to be where I am now.
What are we seeing today in the Mayoral battle field between the four candidates who are taken very serious and three of them who are serious contenders in which only two seem to have any chance of becoming the Mayor.
Policing, Housing, Transport, Education, Unemployment are few of the areas that candidates are throwing their pledges left , right and centre.
Ken, by default a leftist whose socialist leaning principles attract a lot of Londoners who are made up of large multicultural background.
As a person who is living in the Burrough of Croydon , which falls under the Greater London umbrella, one thing Ken said stuck in my mind.
He has given a pledge that if he becomes the Mayor he would give Croydon people an opportunity to vote in a referendum to leave Greater London and Join Surrey.
It really does not give any assurances for me how I would benefit out of this other than thinking that I might loose on the Freedom Pass that quiet a lot of Croydon fellow people enjoy now.
On the other hand Boris in his colourfull language reitrating his right leanings which embaraces the policies of the party he belongs. But one thing is sure Boris is not afraid to fight his corner for his beleife against his party which happen to be heading the national government.
It puts Brian Paddock in a difficult situation. His party does not enjoy the support of public as they are partners in the existing coalition government which carried through policies which were not supported by grass root Liberal Democrats supporters.
Yes this Mayoral election is being held in an unique situation. Never before a mayoral election held while nationally we were governed by a coalition government.
the parties which are sharing the power at the top are fielding opposing candidates in local elections and Mayoral election.
This may be an example of Democratical system at it`s best but it puts the concerned candidates in a difficult situation.
it may be more evident in Brian Paddock`s propaganda meetings than Boris Johnston.
There are two reasons for this .
Boris is the current mayor and that makes his position easier to campaign on the achievements of his term as the London Mayor secondly Conservative party has been the benefactor of the coalition agreement as they have not compromised heavily on their policies so far.
The only credible argument Brain has on his side is that he was the former Police Superintendent and as the London mayor he will be in charge of policing decisions affecting London, which would give him an advantage over the others.
What about the fourth candidate? The Green Party Leader. I cannot see any feasible policies they offer to London people other than basing their every argument on the Green policy basis.
Let us forget the argument "what is in it for me?" for a minute and look at collective issues facing London people as a whole.
- Lack of police officers which affects the law and order situation
- Housing issue ..... In light of the welfare changes that the national government is trying to bring about.
- Lack of educational support for young people
- Rising unemployment among younger generation
- Increasing transport cost in and around London
Of course one need to toe party lines in the basic principles but they should not allow that to compromise the development of London.
We need some one who can have long term view which would benefit the present day younger generation to feel that they belong to this great city in the world.
To do this .......
1) Ken,
who already had eight year run as London Mayor. Did he really use his time usefully ? No one would doubt how passionate ken is towards London. He was brave enough to defy his party`s decision to compete for London Mayor when it was first conducted. Should Ken be given another chance coupled with his time out of the post and the previous experience in the post would benefit him to be more successfull
2) Boris ?
How did he do as the Mayor so far? was he bold enough to carry out his convictions? Was he brave enough to fight his own party`s government for the best interest of London? Should he be given another term to carry thorough some of the changes he brought about?
3) Brian ?
I am very doubtful that he would be considered seriously. It is so unfortunate that at the time of the election his party is also sharing the power at the national level and made itself very unpopular.
Well nationally at this very moment Labour party is enjoying a lead in the polls over conservative party. Would this make any difference in the Mayoral Election? Would the public be prepared to separate national issues from local issues ?
Whoever takes over is going to oversee the most prestigious sporting event in this great city. Yes the Olympics ! whether we like it or not in our generation this is the only chance we are seeing Olympics being held in our city.
Who it will be ? May 3rd will provide the answer ?
Once again the important question .......
Are we paying the importance that is deserved to this Mayoral election ?
"What is in it for me?"
Sakthi Sakthithasan
17.04.2012
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