Why I’m standing to be a local councillor
Kelvin MacKenzie says that his fury over an extortionate hike in parking prices drove him to stand for election to Elmbridge Borough Council
Secondly, I want to reduce the pay for the leader of the council, who has just had a 40 per cent increase to take his money for this part-time job to £16,000 a year. The socialists introduced pay for councillors presumably as part of a make-work programme in the north. It was never intended as a job. It’s bad enough that 630 folk in Westminster have their noses in the trough, we don’t want thousands more. So I want the leader to go back to his old pay packet and if he doesn’t like it, then the good folk of Elmbridge will have to say a fond farewell. He will always be welcome at the Christmas party.
Finally, I want to see the final salary pension schemes scrapped for town hall employees. How ridiculous that non-state workers — the nation’s wealth creators, who have seen their final salary schemes abandoned by their companies, have to fund these pen-pushers. Unbelievably, final salary schemes represent 20 per cent of our council tax. I don’t want these people retiring at 60 with gold-plated schemes while the rest of us have to keep going because we can’t afford to quit as our pensions are not good enough.
I printed off 2,000 leaflets and then, in my spare time, set off around the ward distributing them.
By and large I received a positive reception. Lots of shouts of good luck mainly from the older voters, but it wasn’t always so positive. I did bump into one chap, handed him a leaflet and asked if I could look forward to his support. His answer was firm. ‘No. Piss off.’ I presume he had relatives in the Liverpool area.
Come next Thursday night, you will either be watching the birth of the Red Mist party, a new phenomena in local politics, or the demise of a silly old fool who lost his temper at a £5 parking charge and lost another £600 to prove his point.
For those who haven’t yet died of boredom, I will be sending a letter to the Spectator editor telling you how I did — frankly, if I beat the socialists I’ll be cracking open the Cloudy Bay!
Kelvin MacKenzie Is A Columnist For The Sun.
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AlanofEngland
April 24th, 2008 10:40am"I presume he had relatives in the Liverpool area." A cheap shop from a cheap and revolting man...I hope you are elected because politicians are all alike...cheap and revolting.
Cheryl Mortimer
April 24th, 2008 1:01pmWhat self-indulgent nonsense. How can you expect an electorate to support you when your own ability to react rationally to a problem is personified by your admission that you've spent £600 to protest against a £1.50 daily increase in a car parking charge. Most people's rational reaction would be to check out the local bus timetable or invest in a new pair of shoes. I also expected more consistency in your piece, afterall, you were at one point a relatively well known journalist e.g. how can you beat 'the socialist' if, as you state earlier in the article, they're not even putting up a candidate? I expected more from you .... disappointed and not voting MacKenzie of Surrey
DisillusionedVoter
April 24th, 2008 1:19pmGood luck, Kelvin, but if you do get elected you will find that you have no power to implement your excellent manifesto. Local councillors are there to rubber-stamp council officers' policies which in turn have been handed down to them by the government in Whitehall (not Wesminster) and Brussels. Enjoy!
Merda taurorum animas conturbit
April 24th, 2008 2:23pmSadly, Kelvin, the bulk of the money in the pension fund you intend to scrap is paid out not to the relatively small number of chief officers on six-figure salaries, but rather to the dinner ladies, home helps, street sweepers and account clerks who make up the majority of the council's workforce, and who are not exactly society's more notable 'fat cats'.
AndyB
April 25th, 2008 5:51amI watched people literally explode at Hillsborough. I saw the dead being laid out on the grass. I suppose we should forgive and forget such a little man who takes such pleasure in insult.
If only William Hazlitt was still alive-I believe MacKenzie is a perfect William Gifford for this era.
Yes from the "Liverpool area" but rather than use the term detailed I might prefer "odious creep".
Prodicus
April 25th, 2008 11:40amBloody good. Go, Kelvin!
William
April 25th, 2008 12:38pmThe Liverpool comment should have been spotted and removed. Some people never learn, sadly.
May I take this opportunity to wish Kelvin nothing but the very worst of luck.
Paul Potts
April 25th, 2008 7:10pmI'd have thought there were a lot more other things to complain about. So go on, do it.
Ruth Fitch
April 25th, 2008 7:50pmGood luck, Kelvin, I'd vote for you. My council wants to charge us for parking outside our own front door - perhaps I should stand as well! Unfortunately we aren't having Council elections at the same time as everyone else.
I hope you get in and look forward to hearing how it went.
Gerald Gilbert
May 11th, 2008 10:54amToo bad this time, but the consolation is that being unelected, you won't have to waste time at all those committee meetings. Walton PACE is trying to do many of the local things you advpcate, and can give examples of the money-wasting bureaucracy in Surrey and Elmbridge. Why not get in touch, Kelvin?