Least Democratic Election in the Country - 23rd March 2017 - City of London Corporation

[Hussain]

The City of London Corporation elections are the least democratic elections in the country!

"Underneath the gleaming towers of Britain’s biggest banks and most lucrative law firms, there are thousands of social housing residents struggling on low incomes who have fewer votes than the businesses that occupy the same streets.

This is Britain’s Wall Street, where the City of London Corporation acts as both a lobbying arm for the financial services and as a local authority.

On 23 March the Corporation is holding elections to its Court of Common Council. Unlike everywhere else in the UK businesses get the vote; and the bigger the business the more votes they get. So citizens never have an equal seat at the table. At the last count there were 12,479 business votes compared to 6,504 residential votes.

Whilst the business votes are meant to go to workers, it’s pretty unlikely they’re going to cleaning or catering staff of HSBC or Royal Dutch Shell. We also know that these votes are disproportionately handed out to men – only 27 per cent of those on the electoral roll in 2013 were women,....things like toxic air pollution on one of the most polluted roads in London and a new housing development that threatens to segregate private and social tenants.

But this is an election that goes way beyond just the residents’ lack of power. It is a reflection of the relationship between the City of London Corporation and the rest of us. It is about the inequality of power and wealth that the Corporation not only symbolises but perpetuates. And it isn’t just a local issue.

The boroughs surrounding the Corporation have some of the highest poverty levels in the country. In neighbouring Tower Hamlets, for instance, 40 per cent of people live in poverty. It is no coincidence that where there is concentrated wealth and financial power there is inequality."

Source: http://www.redpepper.org.uk

Until the residents make a firm stand for democratic values, the City will ignore the residents, and business voters will continue to ignore the requirement for equality for women, they must ensure that 50% of their business vote is made by a female within their organisation. Business voters need to guarantee to the City that they have allocated votes to all cross sections of their organisation, including the least paid. The City must request that business provide a breakdown of how they have allocated their votes.

If Golden Lane acted collectively AS ONE VOICE, putting up eleven candidates, image what difference WE all could have made to a far better cohesive society. The City has over time, removed the residential vote, by not building social housing within its boundaries. We need to give the City notice that this could potentially happen in future Cripplegate elections, and in other wards. The business vote needs to be reduced.

Forward thinking candidates with democratic values are the way ahead.

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

I googled this Pepper organisation, and, to be honest, feel very uncomfortable about it.  They appear to be a somewhat extremist group.  Yes, the City of London have many faults, but I don't think this group are suitable to quote from, and be taken as credible.

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

Thanks Christo.  I think you are right about them being a journal, but I still think they are somewhat extremists.  

Christo said:

I think Red Pepper is a journal rather than a group so it's either editorial of an article printed by them. There is a group campaigning against the Corporation but I can't remember their name - not very helpful am I ;)

Maria Elizabeth Prior said:

I googled this Pepper organisation, and, to be honest, feel very uncomfortable about it.  They appear to be a somewhat extremist group.  Yes, the City of London have many faults, but I don't think this group are suitable to quote from, and be taken as credible.

[Hussain]

Red Pepper is not an extremist organisation, if they were they would have been closed down by the authorities years ago. They are an online credible magazine, that provide well researched honest information.

If the "City" was truly democratic why is it so secretive, it is only through challenging this that positive change will occur for the betterment of the City residents.

In the City, businesses mean everything, the residents are worth only half of the business vote, these are the facts....

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

Sorry Hussain, but they do hold extremist political views.  There are several organisations that do, and are free to do so.
Hussain said:

Red Pepper is not an extremist organisation, if they were they would have been closed down by the authorities years ago. They are an online credible magazine, that provide well researched honest information.

If the "City" was truly democratic why is it so secretive, it is only through challenging this that positive change will occur for the betterment of the City residents.

In the City, businesses mean everything, the residents are worth only half of the business vote, these are the facts....

[Hussain]

Many moons ago it was deemed faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar toooooooooooooooo extreme to allow non landowners to vote, others held the extreme views that women should never be allowed to vote, it is only through views, polices, politics, and legislation that failures can be remedied, true democracy for the City is essential....

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

I totally agree in democracy Hussain.  That's why extremist groups are allowed to voice their opinion.  And, I am free to disagree with their views. I feel very uncomfortable about delving too deeply into political issues on this site.  However, as you appear to want to be political then that is your right too.

[Hussain]

Thanks Maria, I understand your thinking.