Social media is becoming more and more important in the political world. Politicians of all levels are using it to get their views across to the public and to interact with the people they may represent.
That interaction can be positive and a useful tool for forming new strategies and ideas,
Or it can be devastating, upsetting and dangerous.
No politician at any level is going to be universally liked or agreed with.
As Councillors here in the Forest, we represent close knit and yet diverse communities.
We are known personally to many of the electorate and enjoy a closeness through either personal knowledge or through family that politicians on a higher level may not enjoy.
So, when that interaction turns sour, when it becomes aggressive when it becomes incessant it is felt even more personally. It affects families, it affects children, it affects spouses and family members who have nothing to do with Council. They do not deserve to be hurt or upset because they’ve read this or that about their Mum or Dad.
I personally have two or three persistent trolls, and yes, they get to me. Every post the council put out that includes me is met with a derogatory personal comment, they post mistruths, they suggest they know things to use against me, they incite others to join in the hate and the spite? I am corrupt, taking back handers, on a huge salary at Council that is a waste alongside my massive pension. They often mention that I’m fat, or bald or both and although these comments may well be factual, it’s the way they are used. One post was met with a comment about me possibly having another heart attack or stroke and they start this and revel in it if others join in. It ends up a barrage of abuse, of personal damnation. 90% of it just abuse, much of it false but it does not matter. The desired effect has been gained.
These people have not met you or do not know you except through social media and yet this enables them to form judgements, know your personal life and not worry about who may read the spite that they write.
Would they actually say to my 11yo son that his Dad is corrupt and that it might be good of his heart gave up again so he have to quit? Would they inform my wife, who had to watch us lose our home when I had to lose work during the worst of my heart condition, how I am on the take, earning vast sums from the council?
I said the other night after the latest attack, and my boys read it that that was enough, and this would be my last term as a Councillor. I will not have one son in tears as the other wants to come down from his home a punch one fella. Why should they be made to feel that way?
I am however inspired by the people that have contacted me. Fellow Cllrs of all levels, journalists, and businesspeople all who to certain degrees have suffered similarly.
I hear all the comments about, ignoring them, having a thicker skin, kitchen and heat get mentioned quite a lot. Yes, there is an element of truth in those comments.
I fully accept criticism of my policies and strategy at FODDC, I will accept a slamming if someone in my ward does not think I’m representing them properly.
I do not think we should have to put up with the other spite and the hate that we are too often faced with.
Cllrs are as far as I know far from corrupt. In ten years as a Councillor and in my fifth as Leader of FODDC I have never been offered anything to sway a decision or a position. I have also never even witnessed or heard any other Cllr doing so either, As much as anything, no one Councillor is responsible for anything and any decision is vetted by Cllrs or officers or more often both.
To be clear about our vast salaries and pensions, I as Leader will receive more allowance than any other Cllr and I take home £1000 a month for being a Cllr and leader of the council. Someone who is a Cllr without any added responsibility would take home in the regions of £300 per month, the figures are on the web page. I have never put in any expenses form and we have NO access at all to any Pension.
Parish and Town Cllrs do not receive any allowances.
So, we do not do this for the money.
So how do we address the issue. We need to address it because it getting nastier and theirs going to be an incident in my view.
We also need to address it because people seeing these posts and these attacks are being put off from standing or playing a role in local government and that is wrong.
Have a go at our and our strategies but leave the personal stuff out of it!
We will never stop the oddballs like my stalkers, but what we can do collectively is prevent them gaining that kudos that they seek.
Social Media users do not have to be sheep. They can see these posts for what they are and reject them. People can tell if the post is part of a personal vendetta or a critique of policy or position.
Perhaps that is the way to fight back, to not accept being there to be personally abused but instead just encourage folk stick to political criticism.
That might mean politicians will stay available and contactable because the way it’s going, they won’t be.
Comments