Twenty candidates already lined up for new residents' party

4:00pm Thursday 4th March 2010

By Alex Hayes

A NEW political group formed to help independent candidates get elected to Barnet Council has 20 potential candidates lined up already.

The Residents' Association of Barnet (RAB) was formed a fortnight ago as an umbrella support group to help independents run better campaigns.

Last night more than 30 people attended the inaugural meeting of the group in St Michael's Church Hall, Golders Green Road.

Chairman Dorothy Badrick told the meeting idea was to offer help and support, but there would be no formal party structure and “no party whips”.

She said: “The thing that's so impressed me over the last two weeks is the number of people who working under the radar. There are so many campaigns going on in Barnet that we don't see.

“One thing that has brought us together tonight is we're not happy with the representation we have got at the moment.”

She added: “If this all goes flat I'm going back home to do gardening. But if anybody moans to me they don't like the council I will say tough. We need to stand as a candidates and work in local politics like a hole in the head.

“Unfortunately, unless we want to stay with they type of administration we have got, we have got to go through the electoral process.”

People from all parts of the borough attended the meeting, with many standing up to give their reasons for supporting the new organisation.

They also had a chance to question the organisers, which include treasurer Morton Morris and deputy chair Gina Emmanuel, about how the new structure would work.

One worried residents asked whether there would be candidates fielded in wards where the current councillors were seen to be doing a good job, using Councillor Jack Cohen in Childs Hill as an example.

Ms Badrick replied: “Candidates are independent, it's up to you where you stand. So far no-one has indicated they want to stand in Childs Hill.

“But if the councillors were doing a good job why would we want to stand anyway?”

Mr Morris also reassured people the use of the word party is purely for technical reasons, as RAB has been registered with the electoral commission to make it a legal body.

He told the group they had been discussing plans with councillors in Esher and Weybridge, which already have councils with a large number of independents.

He added: “One thing it's important to remember is we're not alone in the wilderness. I started talking to these other councils and they've said they will give us all the help they can.

“I spoke to them on Saturday and they were shocked at the speed with which we had moved.”

Another woman unsure about whether to stand asked whether a lack of expertise or experience would be an issue.

Ms Badrick told her: “We will be running training to make sure you will be campaigning effectively, so when our candidates get in we're ready to go.”

If you are interested in joining RAB or to find out more contact Dorothy Badrick on 0777 9690806 or e-mail barnet_rab@yahoo.com.