Mixture as
before is
bitter pill
for Boston

The political upheavals of the past week or so have sparked much discussion both within and outside Boston Borough Council.
And they have given at least one local politician pause for thought about the direction in which the council is headed.
Independent Councillor Brian Rush believes that all the signs point to trouble ahead.
He told Boston Eye:

“The recent elections were a shock, when the people returned a large Conservative majority.
“I know that even they were taken by surprise.
“But is this good for Boston?
Of course it all depends how they behave. And already the signs from the leadership are not good!
“It is well known that even before the election there was ‘trouble at mill’ - differences of opinion were rife amongst the local Tory executive.
“The campaign was certainly disjointed, and although I guess the leaders will deny it, the gossip was that a shortage of willing candidates forced them to urgently seek paper candidates, just as the former BBI had done in 2007.
“The fact is, of course, those who know they were pressured into candidacy, must surely question the honesty and sincerity of those who approached them, and now deny it.
“Again, if this was the case, then Conservatives who had been in opposition for four years learnt nothing from the BBI.
“Richard Austin found to his cost, that you can’t just go gathering a random group of people around you, cajole them into standing as councillors, then demand that they agree with party dictates, and not expect unrest.
“It is a matter of record how the ignored electorate then also took widespread revenge on the BBI this time around.
“In the few weeks of this new council, it is clear to me that there are a number of new Tory members who are surprised how rigid party expectations are.
“It matters not whether you be Conservative or indeed Labour, the party line will always be the treasure, never the people.
“What we as a town need more than ever are councillors with vision and foresight, spirit and determination, with the guts to stand up and challenge the status quo.
“Look back at the past four years as personal agendas were being pursued and delivered.
“Entitlements demanded, though not earned!
“Any hint of aspirational free thinking crushed.
“I am afraid to say it all looks very similar once again.
“We can only hope there are elected members within all groups that decide it is time to work only for the good of Boston, and hang old fashioned party politics.
“Let’s put them all out to grass.”

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