Labour are absent again - Letter from Cllr Ian Thorn

Dear Editor,

At this month's Council meeting Wiltshire Liberal Democrats raised both our County's preparations for Brexit and tangible recognition for our armed forces and blue light services.

Predictably both of our proposals were backed by the Lib Dem Councillors and opposed by the ruling Conservatives. However one voice was totally silent, Labour's. The reason was simple. None of their Councillors were there.

This is not the first time when Labour have "disappeared" on important issues. They failed to show up to the key meeting that would have forced a review of the Conservative's decision to sell off the County's Outdoor Education Centres at Braeside and Oxe‎nwood.

Perhaps Labour Councillors feel a longer lunchbreak and beating the traffic home is more important than speaking up for Wiltshire's residents. Perhaps they feel that pressing the Tories to act on key issues is a waste of time. If so, then we Liberal Democrats disagree fundamentally with them.

Holding Wiltshire's Conservative leadership to account and putting forward constructive, alternative proposals is the responsibility of an effective Opposition. We provide that. Labour clearly does not. No doubt residents will remember this when they cast their votes in 2021.

Yours sincerely,

Councillor Ian Thorn,

Leader of the Opposition and Lib Dem Group‎on Wiltshire Council