West of Centre

Listening to "Thought for the day" on the Today programme yesterday morning, I was reminded of the Catholic principle of subsidiarity. Put simply, subsidiarity is an organsing principle which states that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralised competent authority. The Oxford English dictionary defines it thus: "The idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which can not be performed more effectively at a more immediate or local level". Apologies for the rather wordy introduction but it makes you think doesn't it? Only this week, North Wales was treated to another example of subsidiarity being badly needed. This time, the story relates to Anglesey County Council. Like all other councils up and down the land, Anglesey has had to find huge savings in it's budget while at the same time putting up council tax by 4.5% - far higher than the current rate of inflation. An Anglesey c...

In North Wales this week, we have witnessed yet more acts of corporate arrogance which continue to anger and infuriate the local population. As I observe events unfold, one thing strikes me in particular. As angry as people undoubtedly are, they don't quite seem to know what to do about it. But that is not their fault. This week alone, three decisions in particular have dominated our local news. The week began with news that the plight of a 90 year old lady had finally been addressed by the local council. But let us not get too carried away with ourselves. It is only the plight of one elderly lady which has been addressed. The decision of the local council to close the three local council-run care homes was met with a good degree of opposition. In the first instance, a young lady from one of the towns affected achieved a petition with over 5,000 signatures. Given the modest size of the local population, that was a considerable achievement. The response of the council to this am...

In recent weeks, we have observed major shifts in international political direction as first Greece and then Spain have thrown their support behind radical left wing political parties. A brief glance at the history books suggests such a move to be far from novel. Following the austerity of the early 1930s, two major ideologies grew throughout Europe. The extreme right wing sought to take over Europe and, mercifully, failed. The extreme left wing existed beyond the symbolic wall in Berlin and it's influence exerted a vice-like grip across Eastern Europe. But when that wall was brought down in 1989, it ushered in the closing days of the far left in mainstream European politics. Until now. Then as now, a sustained period of economic austerity has brought the political pendulum swinging back to the left. In the UK, it is surprising to observe the Labour Party floundering to express itself in the most fertile conditions for left wing politics imaginable. They have either lost their le...