Musings from the Merse
Friday, November 02, 2007
Partying in the Borders
Huttonian does not normally do politics and the UK political scene seems not to impinge much on our rather remote life in the deepest Merse. Community Councils are normally apolitical and although our Scottish Borders Councillor, under the old system an ex-officio member of the CC, is a Tory he has never sought to thrust Conservative party doctrine down our throats, even if he knows what it is. For that relief much thanks: Big Jim Conundrum. And down here Embra seems as remote as Lunnon as far as government is concerned and Newtown St Boswells is also on a distant planet; in practice most of our dealings are with Duns-and the majority of those with the Planning officials.
Having said that I was nevertheless persuaded (by that rara avis, a fellow Borders Blogger) to attend a meeting of the Borders Party in Duns. This is a brand new organisation and was formed not long before the last Local Council Elections and succeeded in getting two councillors elected-see http://www.bordersparty.org.uk/-but only in the Galashiels and Melrose areas-nothing in either the central or eastern Borders; hence the meeting in Duns to spread the word and encourage support.
It is I think worth supporting as a party with a small p. If you want British troops out of Iraq don't involve the BB. But if you would like a more efficient service from the Scottish Borders Council bureaucrats, hope to stop the foolish proposed Waverley Line, keep Reston Station firmly closed, oppose inappropriate development, stop the whole scale closing of all except the most massive schools, and other issues which the bigger nationwide Parties can't be bothered with in an area where the voter base is fairly insignificant in the wider scheme of things. In other words a ginger group. And to make any serious impact on Borderswide policy it needs to be represented outside the Borders 'urban heartland'of Melrose/Galashiels/Newtown St Boswell. If it can bring 'Independents' and 'Greens' into its fold it could have a chance of being the biggest political organisation on the SBC.
It already is having an important irritant effect on planning judging from a fellow councillor who apparently accused the BB members of being super Nimbys-or in the more memorable description, BANANAs : Folk who are against Building Anything New Anywhere Near Anything. Perhaps not a very accurate description of BB policy but a compliment in my book. Thanks to the massive influence of the major supermarkets on food producers it is now accurate to state that what ever else you might have against Bananas they are at least
straight.
Huttonian does not normally do politics and the UK political scene seems not to impinge much on our rather remote life in the deepest Merse. Community Councils are normally apolitical and although our Scottish Borders Councillor, under the old system an ex-officio member of the CC, is a Tory he has never sought to thrust Conservative party doctrine down our throats, even if he knows what it is. For that relief much thanks: Big Jim Conundrum. And down here Embra seems as remote as Lunnon as far as government is concerned and Newtown St Boswells is also on a distant planet; in practice most of our dealings are with Duns-and the majority of those with the Planning officials.
Having said that I was nevertheless persuaded (by that rara avis, a fellow Borders Blogger) to attend a meeting of the Borders Party in Duns. This is a brand new organisation and was formed not long before the last Local Council Elections and succeeded in getting two councillors elected-see http://www.bordersparty.org.uk/-but only in the Galashiels and Melrose areas-nothing in either the central or eastern Borders; hence the meeting in Duns to spread the word and encourage support.
It is I think worth supporting as a party with a small p. If you want British troops out of Iraq don't involve the BB. But if you would like a more efficient service from the Scottish Borders Council bureaucrats, hope to stop the foolish proposed Waverley Line, keep Reston Station firmly closed, oppose inappropriate development, stop the whole scale closing of all except the most massive schools, and other issues which the bigger nationwide Parties can't be bothered with in an area where the voter base is fairly insignificant in the wider scheme of things. In other words a ginger group. And to make any serious impact on Borderswide policy it needs to be represented outside the Borders 'urban heartland'of Melrose/Galashiels/Newtown St Boswell. If it can bring 'Independents' and 'Greens' into its fold it could have a chance of being the biggest political organisation on the SBC.
It already is having an important irritant effect on planning judging from a fellow councillor who apparently accused the BB members of being super Nimbys-or in the more memorable description, BANANAs : Folk who are against Building Anything New Anywhere Near Anything. Perhaps not a very accurate description of BB policy but a compliment in my book. Thanks to the massive influence of the major supermarkets on food producers it is now accurate to state that what ever else you might have against Bananas they are at least
straight.
Labels: Bananas, Borders Party, Borders Politics
Comments:
Like you I've never been too keen on Party Politics and that is precisely what appeals to me about the Borders party. Before I got involved with them I said I was a fully paid up member of the Groucho Party - "any party that would have me as a member isn't worth joining". I've come to realise that it's not so very much of a 'party' so I've been happy to join in.
Thinking local and acting local really can make a difference.
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Thinking local and acting local really can make a difference.
