Pip freaks out

I voted against the creation of an elected mayor in Birmingham today.
Whilst it’s not an issue I feel particularly passionate about, there are three main reasons why.

1. There is a lack of clarity around what powers a mayor would have and there are too few systems of accountability for the mayor once they are elected. Essentially, they will serve a four-year term without a way of recalling them. They also have the power to appoint a whole range of unaccountable special advisors to support them. I think the role is likely to reduce democratic accountability rather than increase it.

2. The mayoral electoral processes I have seen so far do not fill me with confidence. People potentially elect a mayor at odds with the formation of the council creating a difficult relationship. Where as, a council leader has some confidence from the councillors and has to work to form consensus in local government. In some UK elections, the mayoral position has been used for protest voting, which whilst I am not against this per se, it appears to have benefited parties like the BNP and helped elect individuals such as the guy whose policy ideas relied on dressing up as a monkey. I am also convinced that the process will encourage those who are egocentric, egotists or seeking power to stand and will favour those with the biggest campaign funds.

3. The evidence shows that women do not tend to stand for single positions of power to the same extent as positions within a collective democracy (i.e councillors). The move to elected mayors, elected police commissioners etc. is likely to reduce the number of women having roles in public life when we should be working to increase the representation.

Make sure you vote if you haven’t yet. And vote no to an elected mayor ;-)

Amazed that Osbourne has to cut spending further to meet deficit reduction plan. The economy is flatlining due to the actions already taken by the Coalition Government.

This contraction in the economy is partially due to the lack of spending power of the public with the burden on govt spending also rising from increasing unemployment.

Osbourne then decides to cut the incomes of huge swathes of people; those in the public sector with a 1% pay cap and those on benefits. This seems to defy logic to me.

The economic irrationality of this approach is just further evidence of the Tories idealogical distaste for the public sector and contempt for those receiving benefits.

When millions are due to strike tomorrow over pension cuts, Osbourne has spat in their faces with an added pay cap on top of a debilitating 2 year pay freeze.

At least this maximum of a 2% pay increase over four years in the public sector will help dispel the myths that ‘we’re all in it together’ and that the public sector is feather bedded in some way. This is a huge pay cut in real terms and below the average rises of all I personally know in the private sector. Evidence put there already shows that the highest earners in the private sector have seen massive pay increases of 30% and above.

Events and campaigns like #n30 and #occupy have never been more important.