Someone doesn't like you to know about East Devon Alliance

Here we go! The political knives are out again! Pulman’s View, a local free newspaper tries hard to report on what is making the news locally. So when East Devon Alliance (EDA) http://www.eastdevonalliance.org.uk/ recently announced that it was morphing into a political party to allow a co-ordinated opposition to be fielded across East Devon District Council at the forthcoming District Council elections on 7 May most local press and media outlets thought that this was newsworthy.

Obviously, Pulman’s View did as it reported the recent launch of EDA’s election campaign. So, what’s odd about that you might ask? The answer is that clearly some people took exception to Pulman’s View’s reporting of the event as its editor records in this week’s edition which Zorro reprints below.

Every time that there is some attempt be it by the electors or Councillors on EDDC to challenge the incumbent ruling Conservative majority on the District Council the political mudslinging starts.

 And so the editor of Pulman’s View has become the latest person to be on the receiving end of the anger of some who cannot recognise that the end of, as Philip Evans, Pulman’s View’s editor records EDDC’s arrogant Conservative majority is in sight. Good to see that the editor shares the same view of EDDC’s ruling majority as Zorro does

Pulman’s View – edition 10 February

From the editor’s chair

Party time at Knowle!

I CAN’T recall a story that has stimulated such

a reaction than the one we broke last week
about the East Devon Alliance forming into an
official political party and fielding at least 40
candidates to take on the Tory domination at
East Devon District Council at the May elections.

Such was the importance of the story that I

took the unusual decision of making it the front
page lead on each of our six editions across East
Devon.

Pulman’s View had hardly hit the streets

when my mobile started to ring. I must have
fielded at least 15 calls before 11am on my way
by train to London, and it soon became clear
that my fellow first class passengers were getting
a bit annoyed, prompting me to put the
phone on silent before dealing with the calls at

Waterloo.

 
Predictably we were accused of political bias.

There was only one reason why we decided to

give the story such prominence in all editions -
news value. At no time since local government
was reformed and East Devon came into power
had any group mustered 40 or more candidates
to fight a local election under one umbrella.
I don’t live in East Devon so I can’t be
accused of voting for the East Devon Alliance.

But I admire their determination to provide the

electorate of East Devon with an alternative
and their view that rather than moaning on the

sidelines they decided to do something about

it. That can only be good for local democracy.

This column is not anti-Tory (I have some

very good true-Blue friends). But it is anti-arrogance

- and I believe that’s one of the major

reasons why so many people are disillusioned

with the current set-up.

Such stories, of course, fuel the rumour mill

which has been working overtime with suggestions

that some Tory councillors want to

defect and others have been deselected.

We don’t know whether they are true or not

- but we are on the case.

And I was tickled that the East Devon Alliance

members decided to throw a party last
Saturday night - at Knowle!
Philip Evans

It’s time for change! It’s time for challenge!