What exactly does our MP Mel Stride do other than hire himself out to Tory councillors who tip him off for endless photo opportunities?
Mr Stride seems to have decided to adopt a paternalistic approach to his constituents, He seeks to establish himself as the all round caring good egg who will without question attach himself to a local issue as long as it doesn’t dent his credentials as an ultra government loyalist and is totally uncontroversial.
In this way he is following in a grand Tory tradition, adopting the role of the local squire, who in the 19th and early 20th centuries would invariably have been the figurehead for any local good cause. The loan of whose name and face would be a sure-fire seal of approval.
Today we have the Devon Central MP Mel Stride, who has obviously done his rural homework, continuing in the style of, for example the Earl of Portsmouth or a Buller, by lending his name and face to whatever cause local Tory councillors consider has some resonance amongst the locals.
Perhaps Mr Stride feels that his photographic presence in local newspapers is reassuring, however together with his bland notes from Westminster that also appear in some sections of the local Devon press, his attitude to the electorate can only be described as condescending.
Where is Mr Stride when it comes to real issues that affect local people: cuts in frontline policing and bus subsidies; the Crediton link road, youth unemployment, the scrapping of the EMA, the cost of fuel, the removal of security for many council house tenants on benefits, the reduction in forces pensions and cuts in children’s and young people’s services.
Perhaps he doesn’t see any photo opportunities attached to these issues, however comfortably seated behind Cameron on the government benches, he is probably more concerned to ensure his future call-up to a junior ministerial post.
Ooh, pointy! But photo ops, in my experience, is what MPs (of all persuasions) do best. I do have to stand up somewhat for Mr Stride here. he's taken my letters very seriously, and replied at considerable length to some, using a Tory whip mandated template admittedly.
ReplyDeleteI wrote to him recently about the They're Still Worth It campaign begun by the NPA and NFU, his reply intimated that he hadn't heard of the campaign. Are there many pig farmers in Central Devon?
He did take quite seriously my concerns about DLA reform and the WCA however. I was contacted by telephone and letter by Job Centre Plus soon after I wrote to him for a chat.
And the historical briefs on his website make for a lightly entertaining read.
Still, mustn't grumble. Could still be in Nick Harvey's constituency. Watching him laconically attempt to defend troop cuts on Channel Four News was a miserably disheartening experience.