SNP and Greens want a clean fight

Friday March 24th 2017

Midlothian Council Fairfield House Main

Midlothian’s SNP and Green Councillors are calling on all political parties and independent candidates to join them in a clean fight during the Local Government Council election.

SNP Councillor Kelly Parry has put forward a motion at the next full Midlothian Council meeting, and has been seconded by Green Councillor Ian Baxter. They are both urging all candidates in the upcoming election to focus on the ‘positives’ and urged their rivals to avoid negative personal politics in the run up to the poll on 4th May.

SNP Councillor for Midlothian West, Kelly Parry said:

“We pledge that we will campaign on local and policy issues, we will not take part in any negative campaigning and we will promote a positive message at all times. Politicians on all sides have a deep responsibility for their language and actions in framing political debate, a point that’s never been so real following this weeks tragic events in London.”

Scottish Green’s Councillor for Bonnyrigg, Ian Baxter said:

“It is important that in a local election we focus only on local issues and in a manner that will not put people off politics. All parties and independent candidates have their own distinctive message, and whether we agree with those messages or not, we all have a duty of respect to our political opponents, not least to encourage greater public participation in politics.”

The full text of the motion, to be debated at Midlothian Council meeting on 28th March is as follows:

Midlothian Council believes that local politics should be available and accessible to all those who wish to participate in it, including candidates in the upcoming elections. Research shows that negative politics create barriers for participation, particularly from women and minority groups.

We therefore pledge that our respective parties will campaign on local issues, relevant to the people of Midlothian; that we will avoid personal attacks on individuals and unilaterally condemn such attacks from wherever they appear; that we will seek to promote our own distinctive messages in a positive way, avoiding negative campaigning. We call on all members of this council and all political parties and independent candidates contesting the local elections in Midlothian to agree and sign up to this pledge.

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