“We effectively have in East Devon an almost proportional representation situation with those who are prepared to work together doing so, and those who put politics first (Tories and pseudo-Independent Tories) refusing to do what is best for the district.”

The East Devon Alliance (EDA) emerged in 2013 from the widespread protests at the arrogant way the long standing Tory regime in EDDC were driving through a build, build, build agenda, with a disregard for accountability and scrutiny and  their lack of respect in listening to members of the public. 

Its purpose was to provide genuine Independents with a mutual support umbrella to seek election.

Under electoral law it was obliged to register as a political party in 2015 when it won 10 of the 59 seats in the 2015 and became a significant opposition political grouping.

In the 2019 election two thirds of councillors were non-Tories of various shades. Under “independent” Ben Ingham an administration was formed with the support of the remaining 19 Tories. Ingham specifically excluded the EDA. Unsurprisingly, his cabinet fell apart within a year as, one by one, independents who had given this form of “change” a go realised their error and removed their support.

At this point long standing LibDem Councillor Eileen Wragg suggested a formal arrangement between the two major groupings of the LibDems and EDA, forming the “Democratic Alliance”. This has resulted in a three year broad coalition in EDDC between an even wider grouping including other Independents, Greens and Labour. Their achievements in just these three years are listed in separate posts mentioned below.

We now learn (see separate posts) that a number of EDA councillors will join the LibDems to fight this year’s election, seeing this the best way to ensure the “Democratic Alliance” continues, others will continue as EDA candidates.

Owl’s hope is that ALL non-Tories will work together, as they have done so far, because we have to do better at a local level than those who are at a national level are currently doing – putting party before prinicples.  

We deserve better and we effectively currently have in East Devon an almost proportional representation situation with those who are prepared to work together doing so and those who put politics first (Tories and pseudo-Independent Tories) refusing to do  what is best for the district.

We have to do politics better – localism should trump tribalism.

Be under no illusion. Under the leadership of Phil Skinner, with his deputy Ben Ingham, the local Tories have not reflected on why they lost so heavily in 2019.

If the Tories are returned to power this May we will return to their rotten old ways of governance.