At the time of writing this column, I have no idea of the outcome of the Norfolk County Council elections held on 7 May, in which I was the Labour candidate for King’s Lynn North and Central.
But those elections – for a dying, zombie authority – are already in the past, and this feels like a good time to reflect on them and look to the future.
I do believe that every candidate who stood for election deserves thanks for doing so. It is not easy to put yourself out there and be judged, sometimes very unkindly (I speak from personal experience). But elections are vital for ensuring a thriving and vibrant democracy.
I have been involved in many elections over the years, and this has been one of the messiest and most bizarre I have ever seen.
One of the front-running parties has seemed proud to have no real policies or ideas, and no interest in local engagement. Relying purely on the “charisma” of its national leader, it seemed to feel it need not put in any real effort.
Another insurgent party was busy making extremist pledges with a far-left flavour while seemingly forgetting its environmental credentials.
Other parties mined the bottomless pit of reality-challenged bar charts, using results from distant divisions or seemingly simply making up data to show how “Only we can win here”. Small parties or former ruling parties looked defeated before they begun; neither were helped by trying to pull the wool over voters’ eyes.
Finally, there are the independents, who all claim that only they can truly represent you as they are free from the shackles of a political party.
One such candidate even claimed that if an elected councillor was a member of a political party, then they possibly wouldn’t help a resident who didn’t share their political allegiance.
Such arrant nonsense falls apart under the mildest interrogation. As a Labour councillor, I consistently help residents in my ward without ever asking how they voted.
Being a representative of the Labour Party informs people of my values – of fairness and equality. When elected, we are here to serve our residents not our party politics.
Looking to the future, local government is at an inflection point, with new unitary councils on their way. But the role of elected members will not change. Councillors are here to serve local people, not their own ego or narrow self-interest.
The unitaries represent a welcome, long overdue, chance to tackle all the things people rightly blame “the council” for. There will be bumps along the way but the prize is council services that are responsive, accountable, more efficient and better value for money.
Important elections in 2027 will decide who runs the new bodies.
As the Labour government turns the corner for our country, we will continue to see initiatives for families, healthcare and social policy. Labour’s No 1 priority is the prosperity and collective wellbeing of citizens.
Labour councillors work in tandem with our government to get the best for people in our county. Others may think insults, criticism and incompetence are acceptable – Labour prefers to concentrate on actions that really help people.
With this week’s elections finished, all of those who stood as candidates will probably take some time away from the campaign trail to celebrate our success or lick our wounds after defeat.
But we will all pick ourselves up and start readying ourselves for the future, whatever that might hold.
And it won’t be too long before you all start seeing dodgy bar charts and outrageous claims posted through your door again.