Apathy intensifies

One week to go before the local elections. The excitement is intense (not). Reading what little coverage there is in the news contributes to the apathy. Labour is worried its national poll lead is in reality wafer thin and is downplaying any notion of major gains, so if we do make some progress it can be spun as a significant leap forward and a vindication of Keir Starmer’s leadership. Tory spin doctors are rather wistfully doing their best to talk up their chances, taking a leaf out of the Johnson ‘boosterism’ playbook. At least in this corner of England, North Yorkshire I can say with confidence that Labour is well ahead. The North Yorkshire Climate Coalition sent a questionnaire to all candidates, and according to their website (nyclimatecoalition.org) as of 24th April, responses have come in as follows: Labour 17; Green 6; Conservative 4; LibDem 2; Yorkshire Party 2; Everybody else: none. In my ward, none of the other candidates have responded. The responses look worst for the Greens—their platform after all is usually ‘Think global act local.’ To which one could add ‘perhaps.’