LOCAL ISSUES TAKE BACK SEAT IN BRACKNELL (Bracknell Liberal Democrats)

Bracknell Liberal Democrats <info@bracknelllibdems.org.uk>

LOCAL ISSUES TAKE BACK SEAT IN BRACKNELL

May 9, 2011 2:43 PM

Tories' dismal record of failure allowed to succeed yet again!

Bracknell Forest Conservatives can once again thank their bedrock support for being re-elected to run Bracknell Forest Council for another four years. Regrettably, despite the need to also vote on the AV referendum, most electors failed to vote and the other parties either failed to attract sufficient support or were unable to get their vote out.

Dissatisfaction with the Party nationally clearly played a major part in frustrating the efforts of local Liberal Democrats to try and build on the success achieved in last year's General Election.

The Conservatives' record of failure in Bracknell Forest deserved to be roundly attacked, especially given the lack of progress on a new town centre and the cost of running the council but public apathy coupled with strong Conservative support for an outrageous but ultimately successful 'NO' campaign on AV enabled them to escape any censure.

Commenting on the outcome of the elections, Lib Dem Spokesman, Ray Earwicker, said 'it was a poor night for all the opposition parties in Bracknell Forest. Yet again the well-oiled Tory machine had delivered the goods for the Conservative Party.

Unlike the Conservatives, the Lib Dems had suffered heavily because of some of the Coalition Government's policies and many Lib Dem supporters were clearly very unhappy with the Party's coalition with the Tories. The Party had needed to form the coalition in the national interest but most of the Party's manifesto commitments were actually contained in the coalition agreement.'

The 'NO' vote was a great disappointment but not entirely unexpected given the scurrilous nature of much of the debate that surrounded it.'