Thinking global, not local

摘要

Do you ever worry that local politics are overly parochial? Fear not - it seems that horizons are expanding. Increasing numbers of local authorities are forging international links. Look at the enthusiasm for twinning towns and districts with places far beyond these shores. OK, in some instances one can only wonder why, oh, why some twinning options have been made. I was bemused to discover that my childhood town Buckley is twinned with Murata-Machi in Japan, although no-one I know who lives there seems aware of this.