KEEP WRITING, SCRIBBLER

THE Scribbler seems to have touched a raw nerve with Jake Berry (‘It’s my job to speak out’, Letters March 2).

In a demeaning tone Mr Berry refers to the Scribbler’s article as the “ill informed ramblings of an anonymous journalist” when all the article did was repeat the widely held view that Mr Berry always votes with the government.

But at least he admitted that the dire state of local council finances and the rises in Council Tax are due to government cuts, although he tried to claim that the cuts had not affected the NHS and schools.

Perhaps he hasn’t noticed the almost daily stories about the shortages of staff and resources caused by underfunding in the NHS.

He even tries to justify the cuts by digging up the old Tory myth that a Labour government ruined the economy by causing the financial crisis.

He conveniently forgets that it was actually caused by a collapse of the banks following the sub-prime mortgage scandal in the USA.

It happened under a Labour government, but that government did not cause it. In fact, without their actions the crisis could have been much worse.

His attack on the council planning department is blatant politicking.

He singles out two decisions that were overturned on appeal and neglects the thousands of decisions that are made each year without contention and where the planning department protects the interests of local residents and the

environment. Mr Berry’s starting point seems to be that any planning application by a business must be right and should not be challenged or scrutinised.

Jake Berry’s letter should be seen for what it is: just another political attack on the council in the run-up to the local elections and on Alyson Barnes, who will be his opponent in the next General Election.

I hope the Scribbler will not be deterred and will continue to tell the truth as an “anonymous journalist” sees it.