tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post485109450403276843..comments2023-10-27T07:50:27.411+01:00Comments on Next Left: In Defence of Social DemocracyTom Hampsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05917325958130851128noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-15415916546422819302012-02-06T22:49:52.653+00:002012-02-06T22:49:52.653+00:00Worth a thought for the future http://epetitions.d...Worth a thought for the future http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/19654Tachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11644702298372266346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-79531829019032353862012-02-04T19:58:00.644+00:002012-02-04T19:58:00.644+00:00Have to disagree with both your criticisms of loca...Have to disagree with both your criticisms of localism here.<br /><br /><b>1)</b> You point out that regulation of banks can't be handled locally but I've yet to hear a single promoter of localism go to the extremes of saying financial regulation should be handled locally. Bit of a strawman?<br /><b>2)</b> You claimed that localism leads to a postcode lottery. I think it's quite the opposite. Yes, localism will lead to postcode <b>difference</b> but since people will have the power to change things through local politics then at least the power is in their hands.<br /><br />Compare this to the overly centralised system we have where there's still postcode differences, but rather than determined by local voters they're determined either by Whitehall civil servants who may not understand your local community at all, or a government of national politicians, possibly from a party that your local community strongly disagrees with. <br /><br />There's going to be postcode differences in either system, but with localism it's determined by local voters rather than by factors beyond their control. It's the centralised system that leads to a postcode lottery!<br /><br />Localism has many advantages over centralisation.<br />• It allows radical new ideas to be tested on a small scale before being attempted on a more national scale.<br />• It ensures that decisions about towns/villages are made by people who understand the area rather than civil servants reading abstract reports in a London office.<br />• Different parties are prominent in different areas. It'll be quite likely that the preferred party of a local area is different to the one that's in government. Giving more powers to local democracies will shield their voters from suffering too much from a national government that they oppose.<br /><br />I personally feel that many of Blair's failings came from the belief that to make positive change he needed to control the world from Whitehall. If Labour wish to progress in battling the ills they face, learning to better trust local governments chosen by local voters.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00260062183800916162noreply@blogger.com