you would be great

There’s real value in doing things differently just because you can, because you never know how that might shift people’s expectations, might fire up others to do something similar, might draw more people into participating in democracy. I love the idea of an alliance of independent candidates, too, because it says that yes, anyone can do this.

MPs get away with all their nest-feathering and their bad policies because, on the whole, the public lets them. I think it’s about time the public stopped seeing MPs as ‘other’ from them, and started to think that perhaps they to could have a say in how our country is run.

So I say, go for it. I’ll support you anyway I can.

I think that there should be more MPs who wish to genuinely represent their constituents and unfortunately it seems that none of the parties can provide many of those – so more independents it is then.

Some of the comments in this debate have been very interesting regarding how much influence you could have as an independent, or even how easy it would be mobilise enough support to get you voted in in the first place.

In fact Justin Souter hits the nail on the head: “Suggest you need an Un-Party or something like that.”

I think what is required is an Alliance for Independent MPs. Not a ‘Party’ and certainly no manifesto or whip – but an alliance that helps people mobilise support, generate publicity, research the issues and topics as well as the time-consuming and expensive tasks of printing leaflets and putting them through letterboxes etc.

I think if something like that is in place then you and any other potential independents would have a much greater chance of being elected or at least making people sit up and take notice.

But you could also do good, and you might be able to influence around things you know and are good at.

I think the point is simply to run, and the see what sort of campaign is possible, and what people might engage with. It might be that Lloyd stands and doesn’t win – it’s likely in fact – but at the very least, he will have brought the talents that turned a ramble through East London into the thriving Tuttle club to the political process. We know that it will be an honest attempt to find a way for political candidates to get involved with the electorate.

I’m in for helping with the deposit, for one.

Screaming Lloyd Sutch anyone?

Why not? It worked for Screaming Lord Sutch.

Well, at least up until he hanged himself.

Firstly, how easy would it be to smear you?
Is there a photo anywhere of you smoking something that *looks* like a joint?
Have you ever been arrested? Cautioned?
Ever been a day late paying your taxes?
Do you know the names of all your one-night-stands? How do they feel about you?
Are you friendly with all your exes – or are there still bitter recriminations there?
Do you have any friends who have gone to jail?
Are all of your former co-workers happy to have known you?
Have you ever left an obscene message on someone’s answerphone – even as a joke?
Is your CV 100% accurate? Has it been for every single job you’ve ever applied for?
Your finances – any odd sources of income? Any tax issues?
…and all the same again for your partner.
…and your parents.

People who play at politics know how to find the little bits of dirt that we all have and turn them in to a liability. If you’re standing against everyone – you’ll attract ire from everyone.

Secondly, on a practical level – you may have the money to place a deposit – but do you have enough to walk round an convince 20,000 people that they should abandon their tribal instincts and vote for a guy they’ve never heard of, who has some very strange policies (“Social Media? What’s that?”)?

I hate to say it – but would it be better to lend your considerable talents to helping an existing party? While I appreciate that you don’t want to become tainted and jaded with elections – spending a campaign or two seeing how the professionals do it could be enough to both crystallise your mind and give you enough experience to fight a decent campaign.

T

If Kirkbride lasts until the general election – whenever that may be, you’re looking at persuading a naturally Tory constituency to (potentially) throw away their vote on an independent, a techno-geek, a ukelele-playing ex-loony-leftie, with the risk of costing Cameron a seat, and letting Labour back in. (A by-election might be a very different story though, with no such risk – and people much more likely to ‘have a laugh’, as it were.)

So I think winning would be an extremely tall order indeed. But if you’d be in it for the experience of being in it, to turn it into a book / blog / case study, that’s a completely different question. And it’d be a lot of fun to watch.

Maybe the thing to do is to start seeding groups of the politically engaged / party disenchanted in the neighbourhood, and begin a discussion across the constituency as to exactly how and on what terms people want to be represented.

On the one hand, it might lead to them enjoying the process, feeling that it’s valuable, and looking to extend it to being represented by a socially open / locally engaged / non-affiliated candidate – ie you. On the other, it could just lead to an authoritative change manifesto for more traditional candidates.

Both good outcomes; and the terms of each decided by the electorate, rather than by the candidate, which is no bad thing – a further local re-empowering!

i don’t know what the procedure is, but i would suggest you only venture into it if you have a critical mass of individuals who are committed to seeing it through

Here’s my concerns for what they’re worth. The whole expenses thing just doesn’t wash with me. In Singapore they pay top dollar for the their politicians and they get the best. In the UK I’ve read time and again how MP’s should ‘try living on minimum wage’. Well I don’t want my MP’s scraping by. I want them well-paid and well-humble.

I don’t think there’s any way of knowing the future. Why not run on ‘let’s see what the first issues I can address are’ ticket. All those promises are a waste of words. Get in there and blog what you see and listen to the constituency.

Erm, I could go on but I can see nothing more healthy than a transparent, socially integrated attempt for the position by one of the nicest people I’ve come across. Go for it and make a few mistakes on the way, just warn everybody there is no perfect human being and doing your best would be with my blessing.

It seems to me that you are well placed to build a deeper, long lasting connection with the community. Integrity, transparency, two-way conversations… – I guess these are things which in some ways are naturally (?) enabled by social media and I’m sure there are lessons you’ve learned from what you’ve brought together so far that would keep you and your community more closely coupled than most politicians are today.

In any case – whether you won a seat or not – what a fascinating subject / process (i.e. standing for parliament on an independent slate) to document, share with people and open up what is (lets face it) usually a pretty non-transparent / cards-close-to-the-chest process.

Good Luck
@JimAnning

How about a grouping for Independents?

I also am given to understand that if we think expenses are shocking over here, then MEPs are on the *real* gravy train. Maybe I should look into a reasons why they should get the gravy after all, or maybe I’m just one-eyed… :$

I like Europe, but I feel there is a bigger issue here about getting our Political institutions in general to act as though they understand a) who voted them in the first place, and b) who pays their bills. I think many have (or had) forgotten this!

Enough ranting already

If the ballot box remains right now the key means through which established political structures are listening – then the more debate around it, and the more exploration of positive constructive alternative possibilities, the better.

Though I think the key is to complete the sentence “running on a ticket of integrity and true service.” with “…service to…”. Who are the constituency you will seek to represent?

I also think it’s key to recognise that you offer not only experience of ‘the social web’, but experience of convening people in physical space – community building that weaves online and offline. And I would love to see more MPs taking on the role of convenor, facilitator and where neccessary advocate, rather than claiming a role of ‘representative’ without being able to give any substantive content to that claim.

Not to run?

You ask if there are other ways to contribute to the issue. I’ve jotted down those that occur to me below, but none I think mitigate against the good-ideaness of throwing your hat into the electoral ring…

* Support those who are running to understand new ways of organising, campaigning and operating in the electoral and parliamentary arena.

* Use campaigning skills on a single-issue campaigning basis.

* Work to convent, support and equip constituents to hold their many candidates to account through social media tools – ensuring that the next election places power 100% in the hands of the electorate.

Like you, I’m a long-time Labour supporter, although not for so long and never as a member. I also feel that they’re just playing the same silly little inward-looking game, as are all the other parties, all reacting to public outrage in predictable but meaningless ways.

I think this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to change our politics. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. I can’t vote for you, but I’d love to help make sure others do.

I really hope you go ahead with this idea.