Last week, we witnessed something historic in British politics. In the Gorton and Denton by-election, a seat held by Labour for almost a century, the Green Party won with 41% of the vote.
What we saw during the election was both inspiring and sobering. Inspiring because love, organisation and determination won. Sobering because of the unhinged headlines, misrepresented policies, and billionaire-backed culture wars.
Some of these are still being weaponised days afterwards – even now headlines are suggesting that people with immigrant heritage somehow needed to be forced to vote for a party that isn’t hostile to their community.
Successive governments have failed to deliver year after year. When people see crumbling roads and buildings, overstretched services, youth and adult care being cut back, rising rents and wages that do not last the end of the month, anger builds.
People will look for answers when the cost-of-living crisis makes the future feel bleaker than the past. Just this month I have spoken to residents who are working full time and still worried about their bills and the quietly rising price of their shopping.
All too often, the loudest voices in politics will actively offer scapegoats instead of solutions to feed on people’s frustrations.
It is better for them to blame a neighbour, or someone different to you, than to confront the economic system that has moved money to the very rich while selling off public services and killing off the High Street.
And behind the use of angry bots are policies that would only serve to damage this country further.
Bedford’s diversity
In Bedford, we are proud of being one of the most cohesive and diverse towns, but we are far from immune to this type of politics. The financial mismanagement of the Conservatives risks leaving our communities exposed.
When council finances are stretched to breaking point, residents end up paying more for less. With potholes left unfilled, services shrinking and charges rising, our faith in the institutions weakens.
Read: Bedford Borough councillors launch two more petitions calling for mayor’s resignation
This environment could be easily exploited by those offering easy, but entirely false, answers.
Last week in Manchester proved that when people are offered hope over hate, they will respond positively. Bedford needs to channel that same energy, strengthen our foundations and ensure that our frustration never falls into division.
Hope can win, but only if we are strong enough as a community to protect it.
This is a monthly guest column provided by
Cllr Paul Edmonds, on behalf of the Bedford Green Party.
It is published unedited and does not reflect the
views of the Bedford Independent.
