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Hi Anne
I still haven't had any response to my email dated 16 April 2021.
You are saying that you want to be the representative for this area, so I would appreciate a response?
Incidentally, I see that Sadiq Khan was in the area - did you raise the matter with him then?
Ben Samuel
On Friday, 16 April 2021, 08:35:28 BST, Ben Samuel <moretree5@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
Dear Anne Clarke,
Thank
you for your kind letter introducing yourself and what you stand for.
As you may recall, you are standing against a Conservative candidate who
you've debated the climate emergency highlighting your excellent
actions in the council chamber and likewise we have marched with you for
change following the momentous referendum - that would be in the
interest of residents and not the interests that the Conservative hard
liners have been pushing.
I too will work with anyone in Barnet committed to build a better, greener, more equal city.
But
a starting point must be a clean campaign pledge. Just because the
Conservatives think they can get away with lies and deception - Sadiq
Khan is a decent person and must not stoop to the level of "Nasty Zac"
with his dog whistle messages 5 years ago, or Sean Bailey with his fake
charity to promote himself, or his fake letter from the tax people which
you must have seen because it was hate shared for about a week by every
Labour social media user.
As
I await my early vote (I'm not sure why you invite me to register on
Labour's own website, I know the difference between data harvesting
subverting my privacy and a genuine council website) I received an
interesting letter from a certain Sadiq - Mayor of London.
The
letter is a shade of pink - perhaps reflecting the branding that the
next Mayor of London has to highlight her different politics.
My
postal voter letter came a bit early and before I cast my vote I demand
an answer from Sadiq Khan to my comments on this letter which as a
local representative I ask you to pass on to him.
The following key messages appear in bold in your letter from Labour Central and signed by Sadiq.
This election is a two-horse race between me and the Tories.
This
is mistaken or a lie! A vote for any other candidate as first
preference does not help the Tories win. This election is different.
You have two votes for London Mayor. Sadiq Khan is almost certain to
win, possibly in the first round. Polls put the Tories many points
behind and unlikely to win. Even if it were close, you can vote to keep
your least favourite candiate out with your second preference vote. A
number of challengers are legitimate anti Tory choices: Greens and Lib
Dems. Barnet Lib Dems have proven themselves to be anti Tory with 1
defector losing the Tories a seat yet you won your seat at the expense
of the Lib Dems rather than fighting the Tories. However, there isn't
all that much room between Sadiq and the Tories as he is a weather-vein
politician with centrist instincts. Even with Khan in office, that
won't benefit Barnet much, with the Tories pressing on with their agenda
here and continuing to be antagonistic towards the mayor in the council
chamber. The "Two horse race" analogy is sometimes used to win in a
First Past the Post election but that is not the electoral system in
this election.
I'll build an even brighter future for London after the pandemic If
you were serious about tackling toxic air pollution you'd scrap road
projects like the Silvertown tunnel and the Hammersmith bridge. If you
were serious about rent controls you wouldn't have made the exact same
promise to me 5 years ago with zero rent controls to show for it!
The Tory candidate doesn't share London's values. But
do you? City hall is different form Westminster. It is not about
parties but about working together and forming coalitions. At least
Sean Bailey understands that if he were mayor he could play to the ultra
right were they to gain a foot hold in the assembly - and there's only
one way to vote strategically against Gammons and Labour won't make a
difference.
Use all your votes for Labour. According
to the Mayor booklet you can leave the 2nd preference blank but if you
vote Labour for both first and second your whole vote will be invalid -
but Labour will still win the Mayor even with a few spoilt ballots. The
Labour Party will have some constituency seats but voting Labour on the
London wide list is a wasted vote. Assembly members like you will not
ask the serious questions above to the Labour mayor because you're
tribal and on the same side. Greens will be the voice of Londoners
against Gammons and holding the Mayor to account on things like youth
services. Greens have always done well on the list ballots but Sadiq's
letter rejects that.
You should have received your postal vote This is just wrong. My card says I won't get it for another week. I look forward to your response before casting my vote.
As
a Barnet resident and postal voter I ask for your help to raise the
above question with Sadiq and Labour central as a matter of urgency.
