Lib Dems are a Better Bet! (Somerset Liberal Democrat Group)

Somerset Liberal Democrat Group <info@somersetlibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems are a Better Bet!

March 29, 2010 5:00 PM
By Councillor Sam Crabb in Western Morning News

Dear Sir,

Having read Colin Richey's letter in the WMN this morning I felt that I had to respond. I believe that everyone will agree that we are in the midst of a crisis, a crossroads and the General Election is looming, and his letter is far off the mark.

The Liberal Democrats ran Somerset County Council well for the past 16 years - and are running the Councils in many local authorities and Cities across the UK. The Liberal Democrats have the experience and knowledge to be up to the task, whatever the outcome of the General Election.

The Conservatives are continually proving that they are the "same Old Tories" that we have seen in the past. Slash and burn, not caring about the consequences, jobs, education, police or health. We see that clearly in Somerset with the Tories now in control of the County Council with them making massive cuts. No real attempt to improve the Somerset economy, cuts to investment in school buildings, chopping the community safety budget by 42%, and taking off 2% from the money due to go to Care Homes, from the inflation top-up agreed by contract for many vulnerable elderly people. Who will suffer in the end? - We all will. As well as that, a real cut of £5 million to the budget for Roads and Transport - at a time when we need more investment everywhere to sort out the potholes.

The Conservatives do not have the imagination, the experience or the ideas to make a real change for the better. Only the Liberal Democrats can do that. Who would you rather having look after the economy - George Osborne or Vince Cable? Which one of them got it right through the last few years and which one has got it wrong every time, and has been playing catch up? Do we know how the Conservatives will tackle the financial crisis? - No, we do not. Talk about "wishy-washy" - it is the Conservatives who "wishy" they could win the General Election - but it won't "washy". We need the Liberal Democrats - vote for them and it will happen.

Sam Crabb - Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat County Group - Somerset County Council.