Letter: I Hope Julian Lyon Informs Voters of the Vice of Party Politics

Published on: 19 Dec, 2018
Updated on: 19 Dec, 2018

Julian Lyon

From Stephen Mansbridge

Former Conservative leader of Guildford Borough Council

I think we should all welcome the decision of Julian Lyon to stand for election. Guildford needs people of quality, experience and stature to put themselves forward.

Cllr Spooner’s comments and position demonstrate clearly why so many do not wish to stand and be exposed to such uncivilised comments. The measure of the two could not be further apart.

Julian Lyon’s stance as an Independent is also laudable and I hope he can make a forceful step in the right direction to start to inform voters that the vice of party politics at local level is now thoroughly unhealthy.

He already has considerable knowledge of council processes, as Councillor Reeves ought to recall. The advent of deselected long-time councillors, because they question and challenge, is symptomatic of a toxic environment.

I hope more people of note will decide to stand and that voters will recognise the benefit of backing Independent candidates.

Responses to Letter: I Hope Julian Lyon Informs Voters of the Vice of Party Politics

John Perkins Reply

December 20, 2018 at 5:47 am

Well said Mr Mansbridge.

Party politics at local level is indeed unhealthy to the point of being toxic. Two parties carve up three quarters of local authorities between them, each holding absolute power in their little fiefdoms. They are able to do so because of an unfair voting system which enables large numbers of seats to be gained by groups with a minority of support.

A move towards Independent councillors would begin to improve matters.
David Roberts Reply

December 20, 2018 at 9:58 am

An unwelcome intervention from our disgraced former council leader.

The question is: how independent is an “Independent”?

The Guildford Society which Mr Lyon led has many good ideas about borough planning but has a reputation for unhealthy cosiness with the council, especially the previous Manbridge/Juneja regime. No-one will have forgotten or forgiven his notorious letter in the 23 May 2015 edition of the Surrey Advertiser heaping praise on Ms Juneja twelve months before her conviction at the Old Bailey. It is her Local Plan that is now being steamrollered through by her successors, in the teeth of residents’ opposition.
- Julian Lyon Reply
  
  December 23, 2018 at 8:17 am
  
  I thank Mr Roberts for the reminder.
  
  Our strategy, of which you may be critical, was to ‘play the ball, not the (man)’. At the time the allegations were not proven and the accused strongly protested her innocence. The council then was actually more open and transparent than it is now, and the Guildford Society was beginning to make progress in our Local Plan arguments by working with the council. We had heavily criticised many of the supporting documents (the Evidence Base) to the Local Plan and we were gradually gaining some ground.
  
  Since the 2015 elections, the leadership has been much more opaque and divergent views have been suffocated before they have had a chance to be fully heard.
  
  Mr Roberts and everyone else deserves to have their voices heard in a true, open democracy – as do all elected Councillors. This snippet may be intended to be embarrassing for me but I have no objection to Mr Roberts making his point; a point well made.
  
  Julian Lyon is a prospective Independent candidate in the forthcoming borough council elections due to be held next May (2019).
Peter Verrell Reply

December 25, 2018 at 10:11 am

Probably Mr Lyon has never read Private Eye otherwise he would not have made the statement above. The council was more open and transparent when led by a convicted drink driver who was a director of at least one company with Monika Juneja.

I would refer Mr Lyon to the Companies House website and see what the Juneja/Mansbridge history is.

Just in passing, “quality, experience and stature” really? Welcome to cloud-cuckoo land.