Thank you - open letter from Independent candidate Terry Comer

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Published: 14 May, 2010

• I WOULD sincerely like to thank the 127 people who voted for me as the independent candidate for Canonbury in last week’s local elections.
(I have already thanked the other two, my Mum and the dog).
Sadly, I finished last with just one and a half per cent of the vote.
I’d like to think that the main reason I didn’t do better is that there was just no way I could let enough people in the ward know who I was and what I stood for.
Because of the draconian ‘rules of expenditure’ – all I was allowed to spend to reach over eight thousand prospective supporters was a notional £1040 – I could only run two small ads and print a very limited number of leaflets to put my case.
This against five major national party machines

who have unlimited monies to spend on leaflet, ads and PR supporting their candidates plus the extensive coverage they get from the local media. (Yes, in theory they are only allowed to spend as much as an independent but in reality this is a nonsense. The local branches of the national parties don’t have to spend money on explaining what their candidates stand for, it is already a given).

In total, four independents stood in the borough and their combined votes added up to less than eight hundred.
I think this speaks volumes about how the system is stacked against independent candidates and this at a time when central government is talking about wanting more community involve-­ ment in local government.
Although I wasn’t selected, I am determined to go on fighting for what I believe in and will be closely watching the council with an open mind and an ever critical eye.
Again, I thank those of you who voted for me and I can assure you the vote wasn’t wasted – rather it has given me the encouragement “to keep the bastards honest”, albeit as a local resident rather than a local councillor.