Monday 21 May 2012

The great Barnet conservative delusion

I am truly dumbfounded. I was told that the Barnet Conservatives have concluded that the staggering humiliation, Brian Coleman received at the GLA elections was "not their fault". They have decided that a "nasty media campaign, lead by bloggers" did for Brian and that it was nothing at all to do with them and their policies.

I am sorry to say that if this is whatthey truly believe, rather than just a biot of convenient spin, they have lost the plot. Brian Coleman was the figurehead for the toxic parking policies, the abolition of  Pay and Display, the huge CPZ cost hike and a raft of other measures, designed to upset local people. The trouble for the Conservatives, is that they all agreed with him. He's in a cabinet of 11 and they all endordsed the policies. Even worse, they are still persisiting with them. Councillors like little Bobby Ramsbottom believe that abolishing parking charges in one car park in their ward will save them, but Coleman lost 40,000 votes. 99% of these have never been anywhere near Booby's favourite car park. They ditched the Conservatives because these stealth taxes have added immeasurable cost and hassle to their daily lives. Tinkering at the edges and making a few cosmetic changes will fool nobody.

There is a by-election in Brunswick Park coming up. The only way to ensure that the Barnet Conservatives get the message is to vote for someone else. Even if you are a staunch Conservative, consider this. Losing the Brunswick Park by election will not cost the Conservatives control of the council. It will however show them that they have lost their way in regard to their parking policies. A vote for the Conservatives in the Brunswick Park by election is a vote for the delusion that Brian Coleman is the only problem. If they lose the seat, they will be forced to face up to the fact that they need a root and branch review of their policies. I had hoped that the Coleman result would force this reality upon them. Sadly they have stuck their fingers in their ears and are shouting "LA LA LA" as loudly as they can.

The choice is yours. Vote Consrvatives for stealth taxes and delusion or Someone else for sanity.

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