Power To The People

Interesting programme on BBC2 this evening, for those who were not interested in men playing with an odd shaped ball!

Michael Portillo was 'debating' the question of devolving power down to the people and the programme can be viewed on iPlayer here. A number of initial observations:

• Natasha did not even know that a general election was about to happen and passed the comment that we just go along with what we are told.

• The elected Mayor of Hartlepool was seen by people as 'one of them' and who felt that direct elections is the only way to give power to the people as it negates the 'central power' of political parties and Westminster.

• The elected May of Darlington was elected because it was felt by one member of the public he called a spade a spade and was responsible for 'plain talking'.

• Michael Portillo felt that he thought devolution of power to the people was necessary, but posed the question whether politicians would let go.

All of the comments above just show what is wrong with our politics today. For someone to be unaware that an election was due in weeks and felt that we just went along with what we were told; that an elected Mayor was felt to be 'one of them' - something politicians cannot claim; that another elected Mayor was renowned for calling a spade a spade - yet Nigel Farage is 'docked' circa £3,000 for doing that in an institution that tells us it is democratic; and that Portillo poses the question whether politicians would let go of powers that they have usurped was, as said, illuminating and at the same time 'telling'.

The most important comment came from Sheriff Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona who when questioned how politicians felt about his 'power' said that the politicans views don't matter, the people whose views mattered were those that elected him - and had done five times, so far!

And someone said that our politicians were not 'distant' from their electorate...........