EU election: Why your vote shouldn’t just be a protest about Brexit – Robert Aldridge

For all that the European elections in the UK were never supposed to happen they remain important. Why? Because unless and until we leave the European Union our elected European representatives will play an important role in shaping consumer and workers’ rights, the European response to the climate emergency, the European-wide response to migration, trading deals with the rest of the world and so on.

No one knows whether UK MEPs will take up their seats, or if they do, how long for. However, they could be our representatives for the next five years. So it is important on Thursday not just to cast a protest vote (for or against Brexit), but to cast a vote for people who will work hard, constructively and effectively if they do have a job for five years.

Whatever your views please vote on Thursday.

It is a sign of the bizarre times we live in that the record gains in the English local elections for the Lib Dems and other parties who favour staying in the EU was regarded by the Conservatives and Labour as a vote to pursue Brexit more vigorously.

Sadly, both the main parties have lost touch with what people are saying, which puts the health of our democracy at risk – especially at national level.

More and more of their time is spent navel gazing, plotting leadership coups, and fighting with each other rather than sorting the growing number of problems facing our country.

I had the great pleasure this month of celebrating 35 years since my first election to the council. What a privilege it has been to fight the good fight with and on behalf of such vibrant communities. They rightly hold me to account when they disagree with me and are hugely supportive when we unite to campaign for local amenities.

Working jointly with dogged determination as a community we achieved the Drum Brae Leisure Centre and Drum Brae Library Hub and I will never forget the “choreography” which helped achieve a pedestrian crossing locally. It is long enough ago to thank the mum who appeared on cue with a pram and three toddlers in tow, and the woman with the guide dog who “happened” to need to cross the road as the officials were assessing the need for it, as well as all the others who played their part so well!

Right across the city there are people working selflessly for their communities, year in and year out, helping with local groups, working on community councils and amenity groups, in community centres and so on. They make a huge difference to the city. It is humbling to note that despite all the changes in Edinburgh over the past 35 years, there has always been a dedicated and quite large group of people throughout the city who give their time and energy freely because they care. We don’t thank them enough.

While there has been considerable change, much of it for the better, some things remain the same. No-one has sorted out the problem of those irresponsible dog owners who don’t pick up dog mess. There has always been concern about the number of cars in the city centre. There has always been some underlying tension between Edinburgh as a fantastic tourist city, and as a great place to live and work in. And we have always been implementing cuts!

We are a growing and thriving city comprising vibrant communities with a great future. But, as my inbox shows, we still have so much to do to get basic services right.

Cllr Robert Aldridge is the Lib Dem group leader at Edinburgh City Council