Party politics no good at local level

Published on 14th December 2006 in Letters

Sir - I have long thought that the party political system is not useful when applied to local councils and that it has done no good for Howden and Goole. Rigidly following party dogma does not always seem in the best interests of local people or the local area.

I am therefore somewhat mystified by the actions of Councillor Kester Dean over the proposed Tesco development in Goole. He is complaining bitterly that if built and opened it will provide jobs for immigrants and will mean more immigrants in Goole. My understanding is that the Labour Party is strongly committed to the EEC and that it was Tony Blair who campaigned within that organisation for the latest enlargement which allowed people from Eastern Europe to come here to live and work.

There does seem to be some contradiction here between those at the top of the Labour party and those at Cllr Dean's level. Maybe, when elected, Labour party members only have to follow one policy, that of expediency.

M.R. Rogers

Howden