Clearly Charlie is of the opinion that George Slynn's administration of HBC was an unqualified success, and that selling off Accrington's and the boroughs assets to finance the ideological decisions of one member of the Labour Party was a really good idea. If the borough's politicians were so divided that the borough has failed to recover from the Thatcher era and capitalise on the growth in the national economy, that failing is to be laid at the door of the Conservative Party. If the local economy has shrunk by as much as 50% since the start of the second world war, this too is the fault of the Conservative Party.
I could go on, but it would be a very dull history lesson. For people like Charlie, and this is not a personal dig -I'm sure you are actually quite a nice person-, it is essential that they have a bogey man to blame all the bad things on. And usually in this country that bogey man is the Conservative Party. So it really doesn't matter what the political climate is, or which party is in control it will always be the "other" party who is to blame when it all goes wrong. There are Conservatives and Liberal Democrats who take the same illogical position. What makes the situation worse is that these people are upwardly socially mobile and often form part of the comfortable middle class, and have the time and often the money to indulge their predjudice. I chose that last word with care, because wrap it up in whatever socially acceptable bows you like, that is just what it is! And blind obediance to predjudice does not serve the community or the country well.
If Charlie would care to take a look at my past postings, it will be seen that the local politician who comes in for the most stick at my hand is the current leader of the council, Peter Britcliffe, followed by selected members of his administration, who, oddly enough, are all members of the Conservative Party. The reason for this criticism is that I disagree with them and their policies for the borough. I am absolutely sure that personally they are all eminently reasonable and pleasant people. But their policies and the way they choose to implement them are, in my opinion, Wrong!
If it seems to Charlie, as a new member, that the debate in this forum is a little one sided then the solution would appear to me to be quite simple - Add your voice! But don't expect that everyone will automatically agree with whatever you say, you will be setting yourself up for disappointment if you do. We welcome all opinion from all sections of the community, whether they are located in the borough or scattered across the face of the globe.
Oh, and one last thing, Smile, things are rarely as black as they are painted.
