You get political to make a difference

Guessing this was written on Sunday, 13th April, 2012. You get political to make a difference. Minimum wage. More kids with better results. Shorter waiting times for operations. Crime down. Better buses and new trams. Brighter, cleaner streets. And then, stage right, Michael Heseltine comes crashing in saying cities are being allowed to stagnate. Yeah him. Remember him? The guy who shut mines before breakfast, before lunch and before dinner. It's insulting. And Michael Heseltine complains that local government doesn't have enough power. Yeah him. Remember him? The guy who with cabinet responsibility for local government imposed quangos on areas of the country that didn't want them. It's anti-democratic. And Michael Heseltine says cities need direction, vision and passion. But when Ken Livingstone led the Greater London Council, Michael Heseltine - yeah him, remember him? - and his Tory mates abolished it. It's hypocritical. On May 3 rd Michael Heseltine says vote, but if you don't vote the right way, his Tory mates won't play ball. It's rigging. On the verge of a double-dip recession and Michael Heseltine wants to talk about how to elect the Leader of the Council. Politics being reduced to the mentality of how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. And it's costing you £300,000. It's an insult. A nationwide poll seeking views on Exec Mayors for cities got 19 replies. Nationwide. Nineteen. The cities Minister said he had "carefully considered" the 19 replies. It's ridiculous. The local campaign for change - the second option on the ballot paper - are struggling. No-one wants to drive it. Their best attempt at a leader goes to No. 10 and comes back with a signed piece of paper to say there will be access to the top table - for a first meeting at least. It's embarrassing. Other proponents have ventured the relative merits of the words "Yes" and "No". "Yes" it seems is a much nicer word. But "yes" is not on the ballot paper. It's patronising. And Michael Heseltine says candidates would have to spell out what they intend to achieve for their city. Maybe. Maybe not. Currently the London Mayoral candidates are having to spell out their tax returns. It's boring. And Michael Heseltine says civil servants in Whitehall are wasting their time on planning for a new housing estate in Aspley and a transport by-pass for Bulwell. An attempt no doubt to localise the argument. Save, Aspley doesn't need another housing estate and Bulwell aren't asking for a "transport by-pass". It's remote. And for all Michael Heseltine's supposed celebrity value, he couldn't even negotiate the details of what extra powers an Exec Mayor might get. This time, he didn't resign. It's hopeless. The referendum is a Tory ruse. Insulting, anti-democratic , hypocritical, rigged, embarrassing, patronising, boring, remote, hopeless. Spending your money in a useless way and ignoring the real arguments, and the real changes in power needed for us in Nottingham to deliver more. The first option on the ballot paper is the best option for Nottingham. A mandate to focus on the real issues. And a mandate to demand the tools to help deliver.