Division bells

Sally Underwood Political Animal

IT seems appropriate that in Parliament the alarm that goes off when a vote is called in the House of Commons is named the ‘division bell’.

From slanging matches at Prime Ministers Questions to battles on Question Time, we know that politicians are normally divided on… well pretty much everything.

What we’re not so used to though is the public being quite so politically at odds with itself.

From old to young, rich to poor, Brexiteers to remainers, and pro to anti vaxxers (and don’t even get us started on the immigration issue), I can genuinely say I’ve never seen us this… divided.

Apart from being simply wearing though, history tells us that internal fighting is an ultimately fruitless task.

Surely then the answer is something we can all get behind. A new national holiday (I suggest something both heartwarming and totally uncontroversial; ‘Hug a grandma day’ or similar), or a particularly good Richard Curtis film. ing things that aren’t broken and leaving unfixed the things that are not so publicly visible; visiting associations which they have ignored for four years to show how approachable and interested they are in the work they do.

In seriousness though, while we are all so busy pointing fingers at each other we’re less likely to be focusing on what we could all be doing to fix, well almost everything.

Perhaps that’s because it’s far easier to tear down than it is to build, and at least criticism makes us feel like we’re doing something in an increasingly chaotic world.

While we’re busy fighting each other too though, we’re also less aware of the bigger issues.

And when we’re refusing to listen to each other properly we’re less likely to share the ideas and discoveries that transform our worlds.

After all, if Alexander Fleming had left pencillin in the petri dish exactly where he’d found it ­ only occasionally syphoning some off for personal use ­ where would we be now?

If the result of embracing each other’s view points and ideas then has the potential to genuinely make the world a better place, roll on the next Richard Curtis rom com.

Sallysopinionsareherownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

I have been asked multiple times how my election campaign is coming along! Frankly, I find it hard to get into. Sure, I participate at a party level in the pre election activities. I have to listen to the politi­ cal dogfights at council meetings which often resembles the playground more than the boardroom. I am aware of and will be caught up in the general flurry of activity which will no doubt intensify over the coming months, but when politicians have to tell people how well they have done and reinforce this with endless amounts of activity pre elections. I suggest it is because they are aware of their failings over the previous years, and while they would claim to have done their best, it obviously hasn’t been good enough.

As the first foreigner to become a councillor in Mijas in the 43 years of local government, I decided that my main task would be to get to know people, make myself accessible and to act as a bridge between local residents and the governing councillors. I have tried to do this in new ways, via Live Streaming and local surgeries, for example, but my plan hasn’t essentially changed during the legislature. I have nothing new to say to people. I would like to think I have done my best but that will not be reinforced or confirmed by a whirlwind of superhuman activity just before the elections.

I have done my best, but it will be up to the electorate to decide if my best has been good enough.