This May, the electorate will finally get the opportunity to express their views on Boris Johnson’s Government at the ballot box.
This is the largest electoral test since the General Election and the widest local government vote in 40 years.
The Government confirmed early in February that the May elections will go ahead.
A number of elections are scheduled to take place on 6th May 2021, including those postponed in May 2020. These are:
- Local council elections in England
- Local and Combined Authority Mayoral elections
- Mayor of London and London Assembly elections
- Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales
- Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliamentary) election
- Scottish Parliamentary election
After Trump’s shocking win in 2016, the USA electorate curbed his powers two years later in the Congress elections. That limited Trump’s offensive but also it started the journey back from the local grassroots to ensure power for Joe Biden in 2020.
British progressives must take the battle to local politics and limit the number of Conservative seats. Then we can achieve the same objectives.
The importance of these elections
What may not be general knowledge is that power of the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC’s) and Mayors is significant and often ranges over several Parliamentary constituencies. For example, a more progressive PCC in Kent might have not allowed the arrest of photo journalist, Andy Aitchison, in Folkestone. He was arrested after he took photos of a protest at a former military barracks housing asylum seekers. This type of arrest limiting press freedom occurred in a Conservative PCC area. If the Conservatives lose all the PCC posts, the Home Secretary is going to find it difficult to push through her extreme agenda.
And remember that in local elections the 3 million EU Citizens in UK can vote. It is also worth mentioning that in England and Wales the PCC and Mayor elections use the “Supplementary Vote” system. The Scottish Parliamentary elections use the “Additional Member” system.
The Biden success in the US was also helped by the grassroots Democrats getting out their vote with postal voting.
So please, register for a postal vote and encourage your networks to do the same.
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