More Grown-up Politics

This week, I want to reflect not on council strategies or policies, but on the tone of public discussion.

Politics at its best is a rational and respectful debate between different viewpoints to decide the best way forward for the community. It focuses on ideas and measures, not on individuals. It recognizes the right of everyone to hold views that are not the same as your own. It seeks to build consensus and community cohesion, not to set people against each other.

Sadly, politics at its best all too often competes with politics at its worst.

Politics at its worst is relentlessly partisan, refusing to acknowledge that other parties may have good ideas. It attacks individuals rather than engages with their arguments, portraying opponents as enemies to be vilified. It uses language designed to inflame not to soothe. It seeks to divide rather than unite the community. And it shows scant regard for truth and reality.

It also involves parties in opposition attacking measures that they supported when they were in power. Such blatant opportunism, as well as the inflammatory language, the personal attacks, and the dishonesty, are deeply off-putting to many members of the public, who rightly expect better from their elected representatives. They also reduce the number of well-qualified and publicly minded people willing to come forward to stand for public office.

We live in a world that can sometimes seem depressingly divided and overtaken by the politics of enmity and hatred. 

But it does not have to be that way. We can all do our bit to make politics more grown-up and more civilized.

Voters can deny their support to parties that use disreputable tactics and peddle a message of relentless negativity. Politics should be about offering a positive vision for the future not about scaring people with a grotesquely distorted view of what your opponents want.

Elected representatives, for their part, can conduct themselves in a more respectful way towards opponents and seek to understand their concerns rather than just dismiss them. They can be more honest and open with the electorate about difficult decisions that must be made, rather than dishonestly pretending they can be avoided. And they can stick to the arguments and not indulge in personal attacks on individuals.

Local democracy depends on voter engagement. If voters grow weary of the mudslinging, dishonesty, and opportunism that is all too apparent, they will turn away from voting.

Central governments of all colours tend to prefer to concentrate power in their own hands. If they see interest in local democracy declining, they will feel justified in imposing more central control and reducing local decision-making further.

The stakes, in other words, are high.

I am not saying that local politics should lack passion and commitment. But I am saying that local democracy’s long-term future is best protected by a grown-up, honest, and respectful form of politics.

Stephen Conway is the leader of Wokingham Borough Council