2021 Manifesto FINAL DRAFT - Flipbook - Page 13
Democracy
That may be with the soft power
of chairing the WMCA and holding
a veto over its budget, the use of
the platform and position of
mayor, or any future powers.
Manifestos have started to get a
bad name with the public as
politicians gain election based on
policy pledges that they then
quietly drop.
My commitment to openness and
transparency starts now with a
complete policy agenda, and will
continue after the election. If
elected, I will set up a website to
display all these policy pledges
and to report on our progress.
When my ideas are challenged,
better ones come along or
pledges need to be updated I’ll
report clearly about what’s going
on and why.
No matter what the future brings
in terms of mayoral powers, if we
continue with the current WMCA
model that looks nothing like its
citizens, does things to them
rather than with them, and
struggles to understand their
needs, then the WMCA will have
failed.
A new type of politics
It’s time for a new type of politics.
A politics that listens to and
involves people, and makes sure
that everyone’s voice is heard. A
politics that takes steps to amplify
the voice of the most
disadvantaged. A politics that is
about working with people, for
people, and exercising power
together.
A new era for openness
When we talk about politicians,
most people tell me that the
majority are only concerned with
their own back pocket. Politics
should be about public service,
not personal gain.
There are very many hardworking, honest politicians but we
need to restore trust so that the
public see their representatives in
that way. This will require radical
new approaches to openness.