So here we are one day before the local elections and I am no further in making a decision on who to vote for as Maltby representative for RMBC.
I wonder if this blog’s reader has any tips or suggestions as to what to do with my vote, apart from wasting it ?
It is against all my principles not to vote, but I can’t make a vote in the hope that it will prevent another party getting in. https://maltbyblogger.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/candidates-for-election-2012-22/
Still no literature for Maltby Conservative candidate Richard Price so my vote won’t be going there. As for the others, Blair, Godfrey and Conlon ,none have changed my earlier opinion or convinced me that they will be an asset to Maltby. None have even made them selves known in Maltby to my knowledge apart from the leaflet through the door. Did any of them knock to introduce themselves ? One has told me by email not to email anymore, another deleted me from Facebook after a barrage of abuse and the other I come across in Tesco’s sometimes and about a month ago at the vet’s in Dinnington. Should I then base my vote on this ?
Of course I can hear the responses to this – if you don’t vote then you have no right to disagree or comment on the elected. I can also hear the “why don’t you stand for election yourself ?” question.
So here’s my answer: :
Political parties more or less exist in order to limit our choices and do so effectively by making sure we have practically no choice at all. Except perhaps for a very few issues where they might differ. Overall they vary only about how enthusiastically or otherwise they take forward the same old egotistical rubbish that has proceeded for years.
This is supposed to be a democratic society but where democracy does show itself, it is pretty limited to the views of those in supposed “authority”.
Now this may sound a little like Chamberlain’s announcement in 1939 but , unless I receive information which suggests that one of the candidates for Maltby is worth voting for, then my paper tomorrow is likely to be “spoilt”.
http://wwwrite-place.blogspot.com for further musings over the past few years on Maltby and Rotherham politics.
maltbyblogger 
Hi Maltbyblogger,
My name is Richard Price, I’m the Conservative candidate for Maltby. I have been following your blog for the past two months and have read earlier posts also. I applaud you on your blog with it not only being of a notable standard but quite charasmatic as well. Your good at what you do and hope you keep on doing what you do. What i would like to say is that i am sorry for no election literature not being distributed, this is due to the funding not being allocated. I just want to a point in saying that i know there are folk in Maltby that won’t vote for me due to the party i am standing on behalf of and i also i know that they’re is plenty of other reasons that folk would saythat that i dont deserve their vote for, and i aknowledge this and have heard many objections. But what i would like to say is that I have lived in Maltby for the past 21 years, I have worked in Maltby and went to school in Maltby and I do hold Maltby dear to my heart. And coming from a working class family i have qualities and values intrenched in me that are common to all Maltby citizens. People might not want to vote for me for several reasons but i can guarantee you this; vote for me and i will do my utmost to go out there to ordinary Maltby folk like yourself to here your concerns and opinions and views and i will set my agenda based upon those. I am enthusiastic and energetic and I assure you I will keep my word and breath some fresh air into the Maltby situation.
Thank you.
Richard Price.
Hello Richard,
Thankyou very much for responding to MaltbyBlogger and many others’ concerns and for your positive comments about this blog. I do wish that you’d responded in some way before now as you say you have been following for a couple of months. However, late is better than never, as the saying goes !
It is a great pity that you were unable to put any literature out due to lack of funding. We all know only too well that the economic situation is affecting everyone very badly financially and presumably the Conservative Party thought that their money could be spent more wisely elsewhere. It’s unfortunate that your colleagues did not suggest to you that you could photocopy a few A5 sheets about yourself and your policies and hand them out on the High Street. An even better idea ,which I am surprised you did not think of as you live in Maltby would have been to knock on a few doors and let people know who you are and what are your intentions. Maybe you did do this, but you didn’t knock on mine or any of my family and friends.
As you have been following this blog, you could have even commented on here and then MaltbyBlogger could have passed on the information. Or you could have attended some Maltby Town Council Meetings (have you ever been to one in your 21 years in Maltby ?) Or you could have written to local newspapers to inform people of your views. (of course, if you have been following this blog you will know that MaltbyBlogger has little respect for Maltby News or Rotherham Advertiser due to their tendencies towards printing libellous statements and biased, one-sided comments)
As things are, at this late stage, I still have no idea of what you intend to do if you are elected. I have no reason to doubt that you are enthusiastic and energetic, but it would be good if the voters had an inkling of your agenda now, rather than after voting.
I shall send this post to your email address to make sure you receive it before tomorrow and look forward to your further responses.
MaltbyBlogger
Hi MaltbyBlogger,
Thankyou for the rapid reply. I have read your reply thoroughly and took it into great consideration. First and foremost I pride myself on being a honest and open individual who will push my moral responsibility forward and not try to get tied down beurocratic party politics therfore after evaluating on your comments i can offer no exscuse. You are entireley correct; I could have done more and should have done more. Whilst there was no allocated funding for the Maltby ward you are making a valid point in saying i could of grabbed the initiave and photocopied som a4/a5 shetts with some sort of description and manifesto. I have been to some MTC meetings but being completeley honest these were a while ago and not so recently. I did write to maltby news and the Dinnington/Maltby Guardian in which both pieces I mapped out briefly on who I am and who I stand for and what I intend to do. But I will say this is not quite good enough. Really though summarising what I am trying to say is that your quite right, I didn’t do enough when I should have, I will not defend myself with exscuses as that’s just not me. And most likley I will be too rightly defeated at the polls today, But I will make this point; I am not a self serving individual, I down right hate like you mentioned parties toeing the same line, my ambition is to be a true ambassador for the electorate and this might not happen today but I will start to do what i can to help the interests of the people. I myself am not a island, to do this I want to co-operate with people from all diffrent political walks. I therfore invite you MaltbyBlogger to a un-biased and independent advisor and critic towards me. I repect your work and will still keep being a interested follower.
Richard Price.
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