By Joe Riley, Conservative parish and borough councillor for Harington Ward
A new year, by its very nature, concentrates the mind, and not least politically. It is therefore essential, not optional, that the millions of active Conservatives across the country, including the legion of paid-up party members, whom Rishi Sunak in his Christmas message reminds us are the beating heart of our principles and beliefs, continue to champion positivity.
Not just to assist the most needy, but at the same time, ensuring loyalty to the thrifty, who, too many easily forget, still make up the bedrock of British society. Our only enemy is apathy: of falling under the spell of negative media speculation fed by vacuous opposition parties sniping from the sidelines.
For instance, in my own ward of Harington, in north Sefton, we KNOW that if every Conservative-minded voter turned out in the parish and borough council elections due in May, we would return Conservative candidates.
The primary challenge, therefore, is to deliver on that potential. Not least by making voters aware that local elections are the bedrock of our united wish to actually drive up living standards and reboot the economy.
The national key to that desire is to tackle inflation which eats away at the prosperity of every individual, not least affecting their life’s savings and pensions.. Both the prime minister, and the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, are committed to steadying the national finances. And that means continuing to fight the contempt exemplified by the profligate waste of rates-derived income by Sefton’s Labour council with its dogma-driven policies which yield absolutely nothing by way of return over vast areas of the borough.
As a mere example, in Formby, social housing should be prioritized for local young people who have grown up and gone to school in the area. That is why input and direct involvement is so essential at local level. All that Labour, both nationally and in our communities, has to offer is some vague and erroneous notion that all can be resolved by ‘mugging’ the achievements of the socially responsible.
In the face of such negativity, we must rekindle Conservative resolve. But that can only be achieved by holding those actually responsible for such irresponsibility to account at the ballot box. So a new year’s resolution if it were not already blatantly obvious? To ensure the maximum voter turn-out at the 2023 elections, which are now only five months away.
