Independent thought (as dictated by someone else!)

After a busy morning delivering the latest "In Touch" flyer, I was passed a copy of the latest offering from one of the alternate candidates in next week's by-election.

Follow the leader

I am both amused and bemused by the continuing claim that having no party membership guarantees that a potential councillor will be (as quoted from the flyer) "free minded".  This claim is promoted and published by Julian Murray, a former Labour Party member who is now the self-appointed leader of his own 'independent' group.

Any councillor should know their own mind and vote according to their best judgement; I do not believe that belonging to a group of people with a broadly similar viewpoint robs you of the ability to make your own decisions.  Indeed, if you are familiar with the facts and have established a good argument then it follows that you can persuade colleagues of the merits of your position and gain their support also.

What does frustrate me is someone claiming that they are the voice of independent thought whilst apparently taking direction on how to make such a claim!  If you make duplicitous claims, you sometimes (metaphorically) get your fingers bitten.