Lewisham Mayor "elected" by 10% of the electorate

[Just John]

80% of the electorate said "We do not want an elected mayor". Their voice was ignored and the voice of the 10% prevailed.

What a travesty!

[stuart]

Or one could argue that over 99% didn't vote for the candidate who would abolish the Mayorship. So they couldn't be bothered one way or the other?

I don't think you can surmise what the non-voters want.

[Syd_Stone]

I think the only question that needs asking is this: is the population of Lewisham 100 per cent Labour? If it is not (and, spoiler alert, of course it isn't) then shouldn't its governance, at least through representative opposition, reflect the more than 40 per cent of residents who regularly vote for other parties in this borough? Wouldn't some feet-to-the-fire accountability be just a little useful?

Of course I appreciate that's I'm talking about the local electoral politics here in general, not the recent mayoral election. And as Stuart points out, to get rid of the mayoralty you'd have to vote for the candidate promising to do so - thus also accepting / settling for that candidate's other policies too, the absurdity of which is what you get when you politicise representation. You couldn't even vote this as a second preference now the voting system for local mayors has been made even less representative (again).

10 per cent turn out should mean those in charge accepting that 1) the system is broken, 2) it is leading to dangerous levels of apathy, and 3) needs fixing. But of course it is not in their interests to do that.

Worse still is that the system is so comfortable for the mayor in this borough that her predecessor, while in office, can casually decide he prefers a different electorate for a different legislative body and so goes off to do that instead of the job for which he was elected and for which he was paid.

Think I'm an anything but Labour person? Think again, their broad agenda resonates with me more than the others. But you can only build healthy politics with healthy foundations, and the system we have here in Lewisham is demonstrably rotten.

[Just John]

Or one could argue that over 99% didn't vote for the candidate who would abolish the Mayorship. So they couldn't be bothered one way or the other?

I don't think you can surmise what the non-voters want.

Every referendum on the topic has resulted in a resounding rejection of the principle of "elected" mayors. I most certainly can. If people are asked to vote FOR something and they do not vote FOR it then they have voted AGAINST it.

[Just John]

I think the only question that needs asking is this: is the population of Lewisham 100 per cent Labour? If it is not (and, spoiler alert, of course it isn't) then shouldn't its governance, at least through representative opposition, reflect the more than 40 per cent of residents who regularly vote for other parties in this borough? Wouldn't some feet-to-the-fire accountability be just a little useful?

Of course I appreciate that's I'm talking about the local electoral politics here in general, not the recent mayoral election. And as Stuart points out, to get rid of the mayoralty you'd have to vote for the candidate promising to do so - thus also accepting / settling for that candidate's other policies too, the absurdity of which is what you get when you politicise representation. You couldn't even vote this as a second preference now the voting system for local mayors has been made even less representative (again).

10 per cent turn out should mean those in charge accepting that 1) the system is broken, 2) it is leading to dangerous levels of apathy, and 3) needs fixing. But of course it is not in their interests to do that.

Worse still is that the system is so comfortable for the mayor in this borough that her predecessor, while in office, can casually decide he prefers a different electorate for a different legislative body and so goes off to do that instead of the job for which he was elected and for which he was paid.

Think I'm an anything but Labour person? Think again, their broad agenda resonates with me more than the others. But you can only build healthy politics with healthy foundations, and the system we have here in Lewisham is demonstrably rotten.

Our political system is broken at national and local level and there is absolutely no justification for pseudo regional administrations, such as the London "mayor" .