What is localism?
In Switzerland, the national legislature convenes for 30-40 days a year. It is a citizen legislature; there is no political class, as such. Why? Because power is devolved to the Swiss cantons – that’s what localism is all about; decision-makers being rooted in their communities. Making decisions amidst the people who are most affected by them doesn’t just amount to common sense. It’s makes for good government too.
Is the British political system ‘local’?
No. We have the most over-centralised political system in the Western world. Local government raises less of revenue as a proportion of the state than any other government except Malta. To take an example, Liverpool need to take a bill through Parliament to ban smoking in public places. Decisions that in America or Western Europe would be taken in a town hall meeting are, here, taken by a Whitehall bureaucrat.
Why is the system so centralised?
Good question. Partly it’s about job security. In Europe, whatever views new MEPs had before they got to Brussels, they change as soon as they get their teeth around the teat of the expenses system. They don’t even realise it, but they subliminally switch all their opinions to suit what you happen to do for a living. Then there are the big corporations. They have huge lobbying organisations in Brussels; they’re brought into the system and benefit from the way they can change it from the inside. Big firms can afford the compliance costs of EU regulation; ‘Big Pharma’ is a classic example.
Is localism a conservative cause?
Frequently, but not always. The Left tends to trust the state more. They’re more comfortable with the idea of it making decisions for others and spending their money. There is a correlation between welfare spending and centralisation. But the Right in Britain has made the same mistakes. Thatcher was a good example of someone who got it wrong on localism: instead of making local authorities more accountable to voters, she got involved in rate-capping and so on.
Is the Coalition government a ‘localist’ one?
I like some of what they’re doing. Police and Crime Commissioners will be a very good thing once they get off the ground, but a lot of the candidates didn’t excite me this time. The party leaders didn’t push it either. They need to do more, no doubt.
