Representing our choices, which party can do this?

We are all individuals who live together in society, each with our own set of choices. They decide if we join or at least support a political party where the leaders/party spokesperson/activist tries to convince us that they and they alone can solve the problems of local, national and international life.

Just think back to the various conferences of recent weeks. Has any leader or member said “that’s a good idea” about any other party proposal?

Let’s look at a local, a national and an international current set of problems.

My local issue is toilets. The council says it cannot afford to keep, maintain or staff them and need to sell them off. My choice is yes we can, yes we should keep, maintain and staff them for local people and visitors. It is a local Government responsibility.

Perhaps there are too many on our streets but there should be one central one and one in every park open, certainly in summer months.

If not, where do councillors propose men, women and children go?

National choice problem. A living wage! How does one person, one party, come up with what a living wage should be? I have commented on the salary of council officers, who get considerably more than a council worker carrying out the most menial of tasks. What income must a person on benefits or like me on a pension get to be able to say they’re on a living wage?

Lastly, my international problem/choices. We are aware that somewhere in the world some people we do not like are conducting themselves in an unpleasant manner. Very difficult to talk to: do we bomb them? Do we send in troops? Do we ignore them? It’s a long way away: is it really our problem? Does any party enable us to choose realistic, creditable answers to those choices?

Derek E. Mann

Knotts Lane, Colne