Opinion: Tories Silence a Decent Voice of the Silent Majority

Published on: 3 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 4 Sep, 2018

By Martin Giles

The resignation of Bob McShee from the local Conservative party was no real surprise to those of us watching and concerned about the state of our local politics. But we are a minority. And a tiny one, at that.

Ask about Bob McShee on Guildford High Street and almost certainly you will get a blank look, as blank as if you mentioned Paul Spooner or even the Local Plan.

Sadly, it seems most Guildfordians feel too busy to worry about what happens at our borough council even if we are regular national news-viewers. We might fume if our bins are not collected, if the street drains are blocked, we are jolted by a pothole or trip on a misaligned paving stone but many couldn’t say which council is responsible for what.

It’s sad because it is important we do care. Decisions taken in our council chambers, however boring the procedures might be, affect us more day to day than non-local events that attract our attention more because they make the BBC news.

But Bob McShee’s resignation is more than just sad. It is worrying.

The sadness is caused by yet another sign of the sickness that exists at Millmead. The worry is the loss of a councillor of long service, with an honest and open track record, whose integrity is widely acknowledged by those who care.

He has been prevented from standing as a Conservative councillor because he asked awkward questions and was not prepared to follow, like an automaton, the party or leadership line.

But his party did not have even the courtesy or the guts to tell him why they had deselected him, blocking the choice from the voters of Worplesdon whom he has served so loyally for so long.

What does this say of our local politics so dominated by a single party, a situation we might scoff at if it were in another country considered less democratic?

What does it say of our local Conservative party and its members who have looked on, publicly mute, while this injury to true democracy was inflicted?

And what, most of all, does it say of the party leadership that cannot tolerate one dissenting but respectful voice, despite its monopoly of power?

The leadership is beyond hope but if Bob McShee’s erstwhile colleagues do not stare in the mirror and ask themselves what they did to stand up and speak up then they share the guilt. And who knows when their turn may come in the shoddy Star Chamber to answer questions about their loyalty?

Our system depends on the decent, fair-minded Bob McShees. We need people with the backbone to stand up and ask the awkward questions. That’s how weaknesses in policy are revealed, how wrongs can be righted, how the propensity to make stupid, bad or unrepresentative decisions can be avoided or, at least, reduced.

The McShees are the ones who the majority in our community rely on to be represented fairly, however silent they may choose to be.

See also: Second Tory Councillor Quits Party To Be An Independent and Resigning Councillor Issues Statement Explaining His Decision to Quit

Share This Post