50 years ago I first became active in the political world as I worked as a sub agent in the Hove by election, which saw Des Wilson, the then Director of Shelter, reduce the Conservative majority to, from memory, a little over 5,000. The election was held on the same day as Alan Beith won the Berwick Upon Tweed seat, which he subsequently held until retiring from Parliament in 2015.
I had been involved in politics previous to that, but not in a serious way. I stood as a candidate in the school general election campaign of either the late 50’s or perhaps 1964, I can’t remember which, as the Independent candidate for the placement of prayer wheels in the maternity homes of Montgomeryshire. I romped home with a significant majority, leaving the candidates for the major parties trailing. I also recall, as a young lad in short trousers visiting the HQ of the old Liberal Party in Gloucester on the Monday or Tuesday before what must have been the 1959 General Election. I couldn’t find anyone. It was a retail DIY shop. I waited, but no one came in and no one seemed to be attending the shop. I eventually got up courage to announce my presence. “Hullo. Anyone at home?” I called. This produced some activity, and the shop owner, a gent called Ken Hyett, who I assume was doubling as election agent, emerged from the store room at the back of the shop.
” I expect everything is organised now, and you don’t need any help.” I said, in my total ignorance of all things Liberal party politics, ” but I was wondering if there was anything you needed doing?”
Within five minutes I was on the back of an open topped lorry, being driven through the streets of Gloucester City centre, microphone in hand, proclaiming. “Vote Liberal on Thursday for the change this country needs”, or something similar, and at the same time handing out newspapers from the Liberals proclaiming the virtues of party and candidate. It was a baptism of fire, but it couldn’t have put me off, because I’ve been around ever since, leading an anti Vietnam war campaign at Uni and distributing Young Liberal “Make love, not War” badges to friends, which the party produced at the time. I also participated in anti apartheid demos and was clearly showing early signs of a radical outlook. My father, a former England rugby international, and certainly not politically active, led an anti apartheid march with the Bishop of Gloucester, from the Cathedral to Kingsholm rugby ground on the afternoon that South Africa were playing there. It was almost certainly the act of which I am most proud of my father ever doing. He must have been persuaded by powerful voices!
So, while I say this year marks 50 years in active politics, all the above took place well before the 50 years started.

As I am not seeking re election in May after 50 years, most of them as a local councillor, who twice stood for Parliament, ( Oct ’74 and 1979 ) in the days when my Conservative opponent, an honourable Conservative I should say, called Tim Rathbone, had his votes weighed. My only claim to electoral respectability back then was that I did less badly than any other LD in Sussex…hardly a claim to fame! Amongst other events at the time, I founded an organisation “Lewes Against Racism” following the fire bombing of a Chinese take away in town. As a direct consequence the local daily Brighton based newspaper received death threats aimed at me, which the police took seriously. I was called into a meeting with the Chief Constable and given an armed police guard. I was due to speak at a public meeting in Newhaven and this armed guard was present. He stood at the back of the room in his grey mackintosh, unbuttoned at the front, hand inside the coat.
I started my speech very conscious of the private detective at the back of the room. I hadn’t got far into what was almost certainly a pretty laboured address and I have no recollection of what I said, but a stout male in the front row, who subsequently turned out to be the local dockyard union convenor, suddenly jumped up and started screaming at me. The guy at the back of the rooms armed twitched, and I moved smartly to one side. The union convenor has no idea to this day how close he came to a premature death! I half expected the headline of the next days paper to read.” No one shot at Lib public meeting”!
Another incident I recall was a public meeting at Plumpton Village Hall. It was a Friday evening, Morecambe and Wise at the height of their powers were on TV and the rain was coming down in stair rods. ( does anyone remember stair rods?) My father in law was staying with us at the time and offered to drive me to Plumpton. We parked up and rushed into an empty hall. One other man soon arrived and sat at the back. With an audience of two, it was not going to be a belter of an evening, but it was necessary to continue, for the sake of the ” other” man at the back. ( after all my much respected father in law had probably heard my comments 2 or 3 times previously ) I finished up with the usual, “Any Questions?” There being none I wandered over to the gent at the back to say a quick “Hullo and thank you for coming out on such a dreadful night”, only to be told “I’m not here out of choice. I’m the hall caretaker and need to lock up”. Not the most productive use of anyone’s time, but at least he did have the good grace to say he would vote for me!
One more memory….
It was the height of the Jeremy Thorpe ” affair” and we had a council by election in Lewes I remember crossing the street to avoid me. No one could be persuaded to stand, so I did it. We didn’t have knowledge of such things as Focus or indeed we didn’t have much knowledge of fighting elections. We produced letters to residents on an old hand powered printing machine. We started out of sight in a very poor third place. Not promising!. I worked like the proverbial Trojan and called on just about every house on the equivalent of Buckland, which proved to be fertile territory for me. Many promises were followed up via telling on polling day. It was about 9 pm and I noticed that one young lady who had promised faithfully to vote for me, hadn’t turned out. I went calling. I knocked, and I rang and eventually an upstairs window opened and the lady put her head out, “Yes?” she asked. ” A h hi, ” I mumbled. ” You said you would vote for me and I note you haven’t been along yet” says I.
“I’m in the bath,” she replies. “Ok ” I reply, ” I can wait and I’ll drive you there and back.” and so it was that a very pregnant ( 8 months if a day) young lady, still dripping wet and with a baby in her arms went down to the polling station to vote. I held the baby while this lass resplendent in swollen dressing gown and dripping wet, cast her first vote. Sadly, the story doesn’t end with a triumphant ” and I won” unfortunately, but I did turn the safe Labour seat into a three way marginal, ( less than 100 votes in it ) which we subsequently gained at the next round of council elections. and I believe still held at least til a few years ago.
Many many memories after 50 years
50 years have truly flown by, and I now face life outside councillorship. I was tempted to stand down 4 years ago but ” friends” suggested that having been Leader of the Opposition for the previous 4 years I really ought to stand, win the election and become Leader of the Council. So I was persuaded to stand in 2019, with the clear understanding that was my last election. I then didn’t stand for Devon CC in 2021 after 16 years at County Hall, and now after 24 years on Teignbridge, it’s Au Revoir.
I know I will miss much of it; I will miss more than anything being able to simply try and help folk…it is the greatest of privileges to be contacted by a resident who has a problem or complaint and wants help. I hope I have always tried to respond positively and I also hope anyone who thinks I might be able to offer advice will still contact me. There is after all 50 plus years of experience in there somewhere, and I must have learned a bit about navigating local politics and councils. That aspect I will certainly miss. No question.

I’ve seen many changes, not all of them by any means for the better. Politics has become without doubt, more adverserial, and statements by politicians ( perhaps everyone ?) ever more distanced from actuality. While some might claim this has perhaps always been the case, I think not.

In this context it was disappointing to hear that former LD Alison Eden in her recent MDA column, claims we ( LDs ) are whipped into voting one way or another. That simply is not true. After 50 years in local politics, most of them as a councillor, I have never, I repeat never, been told how I must vote. We act as a team and as far as practical work as a team. For those who find team play difficult, they of course find discussing issues and forming a consensus hard to live by. However, it is the way we work. If someone can’t abide by a group decision then they can abstain or even vote against. I have rarely found that necessary, but I have abstained or voted against the party line on occasion and would be perfectly prepared to do so again. We are allowed a conscience in the LDs. Similarly, wild claims are made at election time, and this election no different to any other. A former Conservative councillor is claiming he introduced plastic recycling to Teignbridge. Just not so. Plastic was first recycled by Teignbridge in 2004, when, you guessed it, we LDs were running the council, and I don’t believe the councillor making the false claim was even on the council. If I’m wrong I will happily correct, as I hope I have always done when I know I have (inadvertently ) said something incorrect.

I won’t miss the blind stupidity which is now becoming ever more prevalent in political circles. Led by local, national and international politicians, truth no longer seems to matter to some, which is simply shameful. A willingness to cooperate for the general good is rejected in preference to making a negative, often abusive noise. Before voting at the up coming elections I would urge residents to examine the record of their ward councillor(s). have they attended all/many meetings, for instance. Have they distributed the councillors community fund money they have available to help organisations in their communities or towns/villages? This information is available to all on line at Teignbridge Council. Do take a look…Those making the most noise are often those actually doing the least. Just go on line and take a look at the evidence. Similarly, I would strongly urge all residents to ask questions of their candidates…what do they stand for or against? This is most important if you are entertaining the idea of voting for a so called Independent candidate. In my time on councils I have known “Independent” councillors who are actually far left thinking Socialist and similarly far right/UKIPers …. so be careful, without asking those questions you can have no idea what it is you are voting for or against.

On the Lib Dem web page ( www.teignbridge/newtonabbotliberaldemocrats) is the excellent detailed local party manifesto for the upcoming elections. A first class statement of intent which you can hold us to ( or at least my colleagues who hope to continue the fight ) That, of course, is unlike any of the other candidates seeking your support on May 4th.
If anyone has got this far…thank you, and thank you too to those who have supported me and encouraged me throughout my time in local government. I have been fortunate indeed to have made many good friends as a consequence of my involvement with the Liberals and more recently the Lib Dems….far too many to mention by name here.

50 years well spent? 50 years wasted? Your call, but I hope it has been of some benefit to at least a few.

Meanwhile, hold the flame of Liberalism proudly and keep it burning brightly. Be bold, be brave but above all be human, be kind and be generous of spirit.

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