One Party Democracy in London

One Party Democracy, is it Local Government?

There are 32 Boroughs in Greater London. In 28 of these Boroughs electors vote for a maximum of three candidates in each Ward,  into which Boroughs are divided.

Electors in each Ward can vote for candidates all from one party, a mix of parties or independent councillors,not belonging to any Party. 

In 28 of the 32 Boroughs the Leader of the Council is decided by the political party with the most number of seats. 

In 4 Boroughs,Hackney, Lewisham, Newham and Tower Hamlets, they vote for a Mayor, who is an Executive of the Borough.

Local Government elections look place in London on 3 May 2018, as part of the wider local Council elections in 150 local communities in England. No local polls were held in Scotland and Wales on this day. 

The Mayor of London election takes place on a different four year cycle, with the next election in 2020. 

Unlike Parliamentary elections people can be registered to vote at more than one address.This generally applies to University students who are 18 years and over who are entitled to vote both at their education and at their home address. 

Voting can be in person at a polling station or by a postal ballot.People can also register for a proxy, appointing someone they wish to vote for them. 

All UK,Commonwealth and European Union citizens aged 18 and over,living in the Borough are entitled to vote.

The anomaly and possible outcomes

In three London Boroughs of Newham, Barking and Dagenham and Islington, one party has taken all the seats in the Borough. All three Boroughs are controlled by the Labour Party, which at this time happens to be the party in Opposition in Parliament. 

Newham has all 60 Ward Councillors belonging to the Labour Party. Barking & Dagenham and Islington between them have 47 Councillors each,also belonging to one party, the Labour Party.

Disadvantages of accountability,transparency and scrutiny

Having a single party control of Local Government has the following disadvantages: 

Having no opposition in the Council, thus only single party issues are taken up and    given priority and actioned.

1. The planning process may not be well formulated and documented,meaning the decision making is not divorced from the actual decision process,perhaps,leading to stagnation in Borough politics. 
2. The strength about what may be happening at the national level, of the local single party     may impact on policies at the Local level.Thus national level issues may probably get prioritised at the expense of local issues, defeating the very purpose of local government.
3.  No healthy political debate,as there is no effective scrutiny process.
4.  No transparency in local issues,all of which does not generate robust policies in local        governance over the long term.
5.  No real accountability, means no real democracy.Issues of contention don't get aired.

Advantages of overall control

1.  Every Local Authority context is different so what works for one Council won't necessarily work for another.It is about working out what will work locally and taking it forward.
2. A single party control will expedite issues,particularly local issues.
3. The idea of single party control  is not necessarily a disadvantage, as nearly all of the single party elected London Boroughs are ethnic minority populated Boroughs,have similar priorities and policy objectives. 
4. Checks and balances may not necessarily be abandoned, but may not be as robust.

Local Election results and national polls

The idea that Local elections are becoming less useful as a means of predicting the result of any future General Election result, particularly for Labour, is because the party may be increasingly reliant on their voters who are traditionally inclined not to vote in the locals.

The fact that Conservatives did not do as badly as expected in the heartlands of Labour and held on to their own strongholds in Westminster, Wandsworth and took control of Barnet,speak volumes, as the over expectations of Labour strategy was put to the test and failed.

The result of metropolitan London Boroughs, it must be said, is no template for what may happen in the country at the next General Election. 

There is also no guarantee that the local government results in London and elsewhere mirrored the referendum vote. In years to come the Brexit division of the "Leave" and the "Remain"voter will be forgotten and considered as past history.

Victor Cherubim