Why Vote for 5POG?

Letter sent to EKG & KM
Monday, 16 April 2007

Dear Editor
It has just come to my attention that the Five Parishes Opposition Group (5POG) is putting up a candidate in West Downs at the forthcoming Swale Borough Council Elections with the LibDems and Labour candidates withdrawing to support 5POG. I can understand that these two parties would want to withdraw from the contest as 1) It is an un winnable seat for either of them as West Downs has a very good Conservative Councillor 2) They can save money and resources by not entering 3) they can redirect man power no other wards 4) by withdrawing they may get an independent and so cost the Conservatives a seat.
I wonder if Labour and LibDems voters in the ward will happy to vote against the Conservatives just because the party they normally support has refused to enter, most electors are getting fed up with political parties treating them like sheep
What is most fascinating is why any sensible person would vote for a single issue party? A councillor is their to represent all people in their wards in all matters not just one, single issue groups will spend 100% of there time on that issue that’s what they would have been elected on so what happens to all the other issues and what happens if an elector has a problem who is against their views? The advantage of being a member of a political party, you have the organisation machine behind you, if you are new councillor you have the experienced councillors in your party to guide you but most importantly you have the weight of numbers when it comes to voting. No matter how right a lone voice is it is still a lone voice. When 5POG where a focus group they were affective because they could utilise all the political parties but making an agreement with the LibDems/Labour they are direct opposition with Conservatives who are the governing party on SBC.