I'll Stand By You

Solidarity - sol·i·dar·i·ty
–noun,
1.
union or fellowship arising from common responsibilities and interests, as between members of a group or between classes, peoples, etc.: to promote solidarity among union members.



It is with some surprise therefore, given this definition, that we hear today that Ruth Black who was voted in as a Solidarity councillor has now defected to Labour only 7 or so months into her 4 year tenure.


Surely there is an arrogant duplicity at play here. Ruth stood on the Solidarity ticket (anti-Trident, anti-Iraq, pretty much anti-Labour) and now she uses the votes of non-Labour voters to slither her way into the party? Poor form indeed.


She had two choices. Stay on as a Solidarity candidate and get over what troubles this was bringing or resign as a councillor and seek employment elsewhere. Like many career politicians in the past, she chose a third way.


And as a result, democracy took yet another punch in the stomach...