IN TAMESIDE, DEMOCRACY IS IN LOCK- DOWN

It is said that men in North Korea used to be able to style their hair in any way they wished, but now they can choose only one, that of their leader Kim Jong Un.

Not to be outdone and in an effort not to deviate one iota from the controlling ways of the young Korean dictator, Tameside council bosses, have adopted a strict political strategy, strikingly similar to that of Kim Jong Un, and as a first strike, have allegedly decreed that all civil servants working on Tameside council computers will be denied the right to access the thoughts of certain 'political bloggers' in an effort to subvert and control access to opposing political opinions and block access to legitimate bloggers who frequently engage in the questioning of the Labour dominated council decisions.

If true, this draconian diktat is tantamount to political censorship and flies in the face of the latest UK Government statement that they support access to the open Internet. In particular the adherence to the openness principle both for fixed and mobile access to the Internet, whereby consumers should always have the ability to access any legal content or service.

That being the case; by councillors blocking council workers access to free-speech; such restrictions are clearly verging on violations of their rights. Surely, the council has no right to censor protected speech on the Internet, and it cannot reduce adults to hearing and seeing only speech and opinions that the council considers suitably in concert with their particular views.

Put simply, democracy itself; the whole notion of an engaged citizenry holding their councillors to account, is potentially being denied to the very people who work for them and who may have also voted for them.

Apparently these poor dears who on the face of it ask us for our opinion and frequently say they participate in ‘public consultation’, actually only want praise. And anyone who dares to question or openly pass judgment on council actions is censored!

This situation highlights the dangers of the mindset that can come with a long period in power, only listening to those who agree with you.

My advice to these poor souls is if you can't cope, you should leave the work to someone who can.

I'm not listening!

When someone brings a legitimate mistake to your attention, don’t get on the defensive and start making excuses for it. You are supposed to be mature councillors; take responsibility for your actions. By blocking out criticism you are acting like those spoilt brats, who stand in the corner with their fingers in their ears, shouting “I’m not listening!” 

By adopting that attitude, you will be stuck in eternal mediocrity because you will never accept the need for improvement.

Remember, while denying your mistakes, and blaming others, you may be able to keep the heat off for the moment, but eventually the truth will out!

As a reminder to Labour Councillor Kieran Quinn and the rest of his apparatchiks, debate and dissent are supposed to be important parts of your national political tradition; in fact, if you read your own party’s history, it’s what Labour was born out of.

As Michael Foot once said: “Is the Labour Party to remain a democratic party in which the right of free criticism and free debate is not merely tolerated but encouraged? Or are the rank and file of the party to be bludgeoned or cowed into an uncritical subservience towards the leadership?”

In Tameside it would seem it’s the latter! If Ed Miliband is serious about plans to reform and to open up and democratise Labour's relationship with individual members, Tameside's council chamber might be a good place to start!