Star comment: Stick to the issues, not personality
We appear to have reverted to an American-style election. Personalities, rather than politics, seem to be at the heart of the 2017 vote.
The question no longer seems to be: ‘should it be Conservative or Labour?’ It appears people are choosing whether to vote for May or Corbyn. The polls suggest that particular contest is a one-horse race, even if Mrs May’s robotic mantra about strong, stable leadership has already begun to grate.
And yet as a new Shropshire Star polls shows, issues remain vitally important to the local electorate and it is those that local candidates would do well to focus on.
Health is the number one topic here in Shropshire and Mid Wales, particularly as the Princess Royal Hospital and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital continue to face an uncertain future. People want assurances about the future amid proposals for A&E in Telford to be downgraded.
They are fed up of administrators and policy makers who create strategic documents that then get bogged down in argument. They want cast-iron guarantees, improved efficiency and more choice. At a local level, no issue is so important as health.
On a national stage, people want to know more about the outcome of Brexit. There are also legitimate concerns over the long-term prospects of our election, which, of course, will be strongly influenced by our exit from the EU.
The electorate is not quite so silly as some politicians might imagine. It has been 20 years since Tony Blair ushered in an era of spin and sophisticated communications. And people have long since seen through such black arts and demand the truth. They want politicians who are accountable and transparent, who will serve their communities and tell the truth.
The Star survey shows how difficult the challenge is for other parties in challenging the Conservatives. Tories hold two thirds of the popular vote, with Mr Corbyn’s Labour and other parties sharing the remainder.
And whither UKIP? Since Brexit and replacement of Nigel Farage by Paul Nuttall, support has haemorrhaged.
The election will be here in a little over a month and politicians from all parties have the opportunity to set out their stall, to focus on key issues and to earn the trust and support of local voters.
