Apathy on the streets of Bromsgrove as General Election looms

Mar 22 2010 By Adam Aspinall

The national spotlight fell on Bromsgrove during the expenses scandal, forcing local MP Julie Kirkbride to stand down. Adam Aspinall visits the town to find bitterness and apathy in the air ahead of the General Election.

If you spend any time in Bromsgrove asking about the upcoming General Election you may very well get the impression you’ve said a dirty word.

The anger over the expenses scandal, which saw one of it’s most high profile victims in local MP Julie Kirkbride, is still palpable.

And as much as they may want to gloss over it, the new Westminster wannabes admit the biggest issue facing them in this usually safe Tory seat is widespread apathy.

But it is not the apathy born of ignorance, most of the people I spoke to in the quiet Worcestershire town, were well-heeled, well-informed subjects of the Crown.

But the overriding feeling was that they felt helpless, and that no matter who they voted for it would not make much of a difference in the long run.

Indeed, my modest straw poll seemed to back-up recent fears that this year’s turnout at the ballot box could be the lowest since records began.

The voter turnout in the recent Iraqi elections was at 62 per cent, higher than the 61.4 per cent for the last UK General Election, and British voters did not have to run the gauntlet of deadly terror attacks.

With that in mind, you perhaps would have expected the main political parties to have paid careful attention to their nominees. But instead they have parachuted in two candidates from London.

Not that this is an unusual practice at election time, but it was something seized upon by every person asked about the looming election.

The Tories have chosen rising star Sajid Javid, a 40-year-old banker who was born in Lancashire and who now hails from leafy Fulham.

The Liberal Democrats have opted for the fresh face of youth in 29-year-old former BT manager Phil Ling, who also lives in London.

Labour, on the other hand, have played it closer to home and chosen Birmingham-based Sam Burden, from Surrey.

To his credit Mr Javid promised he would move his family ‘lock stock and barrel’ to Worcestershire should he win.

Although Mr Ling was less committal, insisting he would buy a ‘base’ for him to use at weekends but that any decision to move to the constituency would involve a lengthy discussion with his wife.

Mr Burden only lives up the road in Hall Green and promised it would his main priority to move into the town should he win in May.

But wherever they choose to lay their hats, all three broadly agree on the main battlegrounds between now and the supposed election date of May 6.

The tired town centre seemed to be the main issue and all three argue it is in dire need of regeneration.

They also argued that the transport links are poor and that anyone representing Bromsgrove must do all they can to protect the greenbelt and fight for the rights of the local farming community.

But they also agreed it was going to be an uphill fight winning back the trust of the public and getting them to the polling booths in May.

Sajid Javid faces perhaps the toughest battle after inheriting the poisoned chalice left by disgraced MP Julie Kirkbride who was badly exposed during the expenses scandal and the infamous Julie Must GO! campaign.