Tony Porter Ponders: are we living in a democracy anymore?

Whenever I criticised the Conservative government, and regular readers will know that was often, I bemoaned the lack of backbone of the opposition, which obviously then was, Labour. However, since Labour have taken ‘charge’ there is a total lack of Conservative reaction. In order to be great when in power, you need pushing from your opponents, otherwise if you have no critics you think you are doing great and fall into complacency.

I wrote about my disgust when the SNP earlier this year had their day to ask direct questions to the PM and were blocked from doing so by both the ‘main’ parties I felt these elected MPs were treated unfairly and were right to be angry over the situation. Imagine, therefore, my surprise when last Wednesday this happened in our council chambers.

Text from taken from Wigan Council document, available online “This is an open report. Report to: Constitution Working Group. Council. Date of Meeting(s): Thursday, 22 August 2024 Wednesday, 25 September 2024 Subject: Questions and Comments at Council Meetings.” Look it up and give it a read. We know Wigan council have not allowed members of the public, who voted for them, to ask questions at a council meeting for years. This motion, voted for by the Labour councillors means only five questions can be asked per full council meeting, changing the constitution.

Now if I was to play devil’s advocate, I would say it was to shorten meetings, which can drag at times, however if I was not I might suggest that if five Labour councillors put in question requests first, no opposition councillors would be able to ask questions. It will be interesting if instead of important questions like what is going on with the Wigan Town Centre regeneration, etc, we get ‘Will the council be replacing the flower tubs with winter blooms this year?’ or some other pointless, time-wasting drivel.

Anyway, you make up your own mind, either read the full document, I think you should, or look at these highlights I have selected for your perusal.

“In order to permit council business to proceed efficiently it is proposed to restrict the number of questions that may be brought to council to bring consistency with the restrictions on the number of motions that may be brought to Council.”

“To allow for the Executive and Chair of the relevant Committee to provide a response, the ability for the member proposing the question to speak for five minutes will be removed. The question will be put by the Mayor to Council.”

“A Member may not submit more than one comment or question to any one Council Meeting.”

“The maximum number of questions or comments which may be submitted to any one Council Meeting shall be five. In the event that more than five questions or comments are submitted, the questions and comments shall be allocated according to the order of receipt of the questions and comments.”

“Every question or comment shall be put and answered or responded to by the relevant Cabinet Member or Committee Chairman without discussion, but the person to whom a question or comment has been put may decline to answer or respond.”

I did ask a while back when is a landslide win not a landslide, maybe it should have read democracy.