Political Waterways

Do you remember those days long long ago when politicians were public spirited people. No - me neither. Do you remember those days long long ago when our politicians were trustworthy upstanding members of society. No - me neither. Do you remember those days not so long ago when our politicians were flipping homes, cleaning their moats and putting almost everything from duck houses to pornographic films on expenses. Well I do, and like the rest of the electorate, I still can't bring myself to forgive them. 

Now there are radical organisations like 38 degrees who currently have 2,500,000 members. Who question what's going on in parliament.  38 degrees are so well established as a watchdog that they get called to give evidence to various parliamentary committees. 38 degrees has, in its own way become a moral compass that parliament has been missing for far to long. It has achieved that status by challenging and questioning whatever the 38 degree members draw to their attention. All parliaments have an opposition party who should fufil that role. However, when governments are created by coalition of the parties that challenge is watered down even further.

In a way the Canal and River Trust is like our parliament. There are vested interests at large and what is needed is a watchdog with a few teeth that are prepared to challenge and question. That once upon a time was a position held by the IWA almost as a birthright. mainly through the actions of activists and the leadership of Aickman and Rolt. The IWA  want's to be everything to everyone who sets foot on the waterways. In its day, the IWA had to be a broad church. But the world of the inland waterways has changed.  Today the all encompassing remit is just too broad.

In the political metaphor - CaRT is a dictatorship. There is no alternative party that we can 'elect' into power. Therefore to keep things under close scrutiny helps to ensure some form of basic checks and balance are made. So who is the '38 degrees' of the inland waterways. I think that function is now clearly filled for boat the owning fraternity by NABO. The remit is much more targeted and specific with the prime focus on boating issues. 

Well it seems that things in this country in political terms are changing. It used to be that political warfare was declared in the last few months in the run up towards the end of a parliament. Hostilities would commence and the various sides would drop all pretence. Now here we are, local and European elections have stired up the political muck raking.  The Westminster politicians are using the Euro elections to kick start their own year long hustings.

This set me off thinking about the almost parallel universe that the inland waterways represent. First you need to understand the role of the politician. Some people have the belief that whoever they elect will represent their wishes and aspirations. The reality is that the vast majority have a political affiliation of one flavour or another. Albeit that it will be of a Conservative, Liberal Democrat or Labour flavour. These individuals are parachuted into place by the party and they have the party machinery behind them as a support. You may vote for their candidate but you have little choice in selecting the candidates.

First you need to understand the role of the 'independently elected' CaRT council member. Some people have the belief that whoever they elect will represent their wishes and aspirations. The reality is that the majority have an waterways association affiliation. These individuals were parachuted into place by their association and they have the association machinery behind them as a support. (In the CaRT council elections all those elected held office within the IWA one kind or another. You may choose to vote for their candidate, but you have little choice in selecting the candidates.)

Once the anointed ones are elected it means that they can relax with a secure four year tenure of office. They do very little if anything in the way of mixing with the general constituency electorate. The nearest they get will be the monthly local Con, LibDem or Lab party meetings. The local party members will be given priority in all things over the rest of the electorate. Raise an issue with a politician that is at odds with 'central office guidelines' and you will be as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit.

Once the IWA anointed ones are elected it means that they can relax with a secure four year tenure of office. They do very little if anything in the way of mixing with the general boating constituency electorate. The nearest they get will be the monthly local IWA meetings. The local IWA members will be given priority in all things over the rest of the electorate. Raise an issue with a councillor that is at odds with the 'central office guidelines' and you will be as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit. (For 'central office guidelines' read the IWA-CaRT Memorandum of Understanding)

It's a well known fact of life - the only time a political candidate comes looking for you is when he or she wants your vote. They prepare a short pamphlet to post through your letterbox telling about their knowledge, ability and successes. They promise much but achieve very little. For the rest of the time in office they are totally invisible to the electorate.

It's a well known thing - the only time a CaRT Council IWA endorsed candidate comes looking for you, is when he or she wants your vote. They prepare a short pamphlet to post in your email inbox telling about their knowledge, ability and successes. They promise much but seem achieve very little. For most of  time in office they are almost totally invisible to the electorate.

When the government wants something known, the MP's are given a script by central office. They stand up in parliament and read out aloud from the script. All of their mutterings that are made is reported in Hansard which is also widely known as the 'Westminster Pravda' and then published on-line for you to read. Members’ words are recorded by Hansard reporters and then edited to remove the odd off message 'mistakes'!

When the CaRT wants something known, the 'elected candidate' are provided with a script by Ivory Towers. The information is reported in CaRT's Boaters Update which is also known as the 'Waterways Pravda' and published on-line for you to read.

In government there is a time honoured but somewhat 'grey' process called gerrymandering. This is a practice that attempts to establish an advantage by manipulating electoral boundaries and thereby gaining disproportionate power. This is often allied with political lobbying for maximum effect. But after the first iteration of the election - the cat was out of the bag. Now CaRT is rewriting the way that the election will be run in future.

In the comatose world of the inland waterways there is a new and somewhat 'grey' process called having no moral compass. This is a practice that attempts to establish an advantage by manipulating the electoral process and thereby gaining disproportionate power. Such as when a group of preordained individuals are recommended by an association to their members. Thus unduly influencing the outcome of an election process. At the same time excluding others that may be so much better qualified, knowledgeable and capable.

More than anything else I have been surprised that the elected representatives have been stoic and remained silent for the last two years. This begs the question why would you put yourself up for office and then fail to engage with the whole of the electorate. In particular with those people in the electorate who by personal choice are outside outside of your particular association.

I raised a freedom of information request asking for times dates and locations of meetings that our elected representatives were attending. The FoI request was flatly refused. In other words the boat owning electorate are excluded from access to what in an open and transparent way, should be freely available information - but you will certainly not be excluded from voting next time. 

Even the most tinpot of dictatorships have elections. They may not be free in the accepted sense. They may have a preordained outcome, decided by some creative accountancy with the numbers. I am beginning to wonder if we can get Robert Mugabe to stand in the next CaRT election. He would be in the right age group, he would have all the appropriate credentials. It would be another preordained conclusion!

Ladies and gentlemen - I commend Robert Gabriel Mugabe to the house.