Strange bedfellows
Interesting reactions and assumptions to my last letter “Know your numbers” Wokingham.Today Thursday, February 22, 2024.
All I did was point out that a relatively new political party did better than the Liberal Democrats and their shameless national leader in recent by-elections. He’s the one who keeps boasting about breaking down Blue Walls. He doesn’t seem to be boasting much nowadays though!
The Rochdale by-election result is now in (01/03/2024). The Conservatives came third. The
Lib Dems came fifth! I suggest Conservatives and amateur statisticians everywhere take note.
I should state yet again that I am not, nor ever have been, a member of any political party or trades union. The exception being the Students Union.
For taking the trouble to point out that the Lib Dems were overtaken by a newish party it seems to be implied that I support this particular party. As far as I know they won’t even have anybody standing in Wokingham at the next General Election.
From the Windy Wannabe MP Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Wokingham, Clive Jones, there might be a huge sigh of relief at this. For now anyway!
However, the Lib Dems do have something in common with Reform UK. They both want to scrap First Past The Post elections for some form of Proportional Representation. What strange bedfellows they make!
On the Council Tax rise of 4.99%. As I have pointed out before, if Wokingham Borough Council finances are that precarious then the Lib Dems and Labour could propose a larger Council Tax rise if they wanted.
Let’s say by 10%, if that is enough to gain financial security for the services provided by WBC. This will then have to be put to a local referendum though.
So, what’s stopping the WBC Lib Dems and their Labour chums from holding a referendum on a Council Tax rise of more than 4.99% if the finances are that bad?
What are they frightened of? The electorate? A democratic Council
Tax referendum result? A General Election result? Or are they just political cowards?
Paul Clarke, Wokingham