Leader— Hackney: a place for everyone?

This was the topic of a ‘debate’ held last month by Hackney Council.

Yet when citizens arrived, eager to engage in a lively to-and-fro, they noticed a curious thing: the question mark had quietly disappeared from the version of the event name printed in the programme.

The tenor of the event suggested this was not a simple typo.

Questions from the public were answered in ideological unison by Mayor Pipe and a gaggle of council-selected supporting acts — interesting folks who had perhaps been advised: ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all’.

As the Mayor drowned the audience in success stats, panellists looked sheepishly at their feet, leaving the audience grasping for real answers.    

There was no disagreement, no debate. Recent changes at the Council suggest this is not an isolated occurrence. The number of council meetings has been reduced, the public gallery has been removed from the council chamber. Public meeting regulars are suddenly wondering whether they are worth the bother.

Representative democracy means leaders should be accountable to the people. This is not a desirable accessory of our political system – it is its defining feature.

The Citizen’s General Election hustings on 26 April will aim to put this principle into practice. Let the debate begin!