Saturday 9 February 2008

Alliance and Progressives Part Company

Posting from the sick bed, The News Desk is reporting that the South Tyneside Alliance of Councillors and the Boroughs Progressive Councillors have parted company on the grounds that the latter feel their identity is being lost as time goes on.

The split is not the political catastrophe that some people will make of it. The Alliance maintains that the pre requisite for both groups remains the same: that of opposing Labour domination of the regions affairs. This stance will therefore continue unabated within the Chamber and at the ballot box. The difference is that from now onwards the two groups will adopt this approach as separate entities. Clearly then, we will not be seeing the Progressives mirroring the sycophantic antics of their opposite numbers in the Conservative Party.

Anybody therefore expecting any radical change will be very naive and somewhat ignorant of local politics. The Progressives were elected to oppose Labour, not to be part of their private club. If they wish to keep their seats, then they will have to adhere to this concept. Without the Alliance’s support on the administrative and logistical side however, they are going to have their work cut out maintaining their seats, but that’s another matter all together.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do we know how the two are to approach May's elections Peter?

Anonymous said...

Do the Independents realy need the Progressives? The Answer is NO.
What I can see is the Independents were doing all the work anyway.
I do think Cllr Capstick has been Pressured into making this decision.

I do wish Cllr Capstick and Cllr Hickman a long and Happy Retirement.

Curly said...

"If they wish to keep their seats, then they will have to adhere to this concept"

Surely if they are no longer part of the arrangement, they don't have to adhere to anyone's concepts other than their own?

Otherwise there would be no point in going their own separate way.

Anonymous said...

Now there's dedication!

I can't quite work out how you got the news before I did though?

Anonymous said...

Let us not forget that the Alliance
was to come together to challenge the ruling group, nothing more and certainly not a party as has been suggested.

Anonymous said...

Two down one to go .. you've hit the nail on the head.