In Todmorden politics has radically shifted in the last five years. In 2008 Todmorden returned its first Tory to Calderdale Council in over thirty years, and the Liberal Democrats reigned supreme for fourteen years with seventeen of the eighteen seats in Todmorden Town Hall. The Labour Party had dwindled away into nothing and there were, to be fair, some genuinely competent Liberal Democrats in there.
The Todmorden Labour Branch, as had to happen, has made a significant comeback in 2011 and last year took control of the Town Council away from the Liberals, and in Calderdale the Conservatives, after a brief transition of a Liberal-Labour Pact, has fallen totally into the hands of the Labour Party.
The question, now, is who is going to be the opposition to the Labour Party. Well the Conservatives aren’t going to be able to fill that vacuum—their branch now is smaller than ever, I fully expect they will have to parachute a candidate in this May. The Liberal Democrats are going through their death pangs here, and once they go under you will not see them re emerge for ten years at least. Their best councillors are gone, the old branch matriarchs have thrown in the towel and they are down to the very dregs of the barrel. Slick Mick, their branch boss, has comically been lashing out at everybody and even on the matter of opposing my own campaign, the other Councillors have turned their back on them. Their act as harmless busybodies and neighbourhood activists has fallen to reveal, as one writer to the Todmorden News put it, a party of vindictive hypocrites. It is quite comical.
I would advise the people to consider that it has been none other than yours truly who has stood up and confronted the Lib-Lab-Con here in Todmorden Ward. On everything from Rose Street to unemployment, from the gay rights agenda to transport policy I have been out speaking up for what the people think. On May 22nd I am standing as an Independent Candidate, and I believe that I am the only real choice in this ward.
On May 22nd, vote Jones - Independent.
The Todmorden Labour Branch, as had to happen, has made a significant comeback in 2011 and last year took control of the Town Council away from the Liberals, and in Calderdale the Conservatives, after a brief transition of a Liberal-Labour Pact, has fallen totally into the hands of the Labour Party.
The question, now, is who is going to be the opposition to the Labour Party. Well the Conservatives aren’t going to be able to fill that vacuum—their branch now is smaller than ever, I fully expect they will have to parachute a candidate in this May. The Liberal Democrats are going through their death pangs here, and once they go under you will not see them re emerge for ten years at least. Their best councillors are gone, the old branch matriarchs have thrown in the towel and they are down to the very dregs of the barrel. Slick Mick, their branch boss, has comically been lashing out at everybody and even on the matter of opposing my own campaign, the other Councillors have turned their back on them. Their act as harmless busybodies and neighbourhood activists has fallen to reveal, as one writer to the Todmorden News put it, a party of vindictive hypocrites. It is quite comical.
I would advise the people to consider that it has been none other than yours truly who has stood up and confronted the Lib-Lab-Con here in Todmorden Ward. On everything from Rose Street to unemployment, from the gay rights agenda to transport policy I have been out speaking up for what the people think. On May 22nd I am standing as an Independent Candidate, and I believe that I am the only real choice in this ward.
On May 22nd, vote Jones - Independent.