I'm sure people realise there is more than one side to a story, but when the story is recounted by Liberal Democrats, it can be so far from the truth that people may be forgiven for having gained an inaccurate understanding of what transpired.

However, the people of Harrow are not so gullible as to swallow snide and pathetic attacks from a LibDem party that was rightfully castigated in last May's local elections, reduced to a minor third party presence on Harrow Council.

In a new pact with the Labour Party, the LibDem deputy leader, Councillor Laurence Cox, once again began throwing mud at the Conservative Party (Times Series November 5).

He said the Conservatives used "obstructionist tactics to delay the formation of the boundary panel". The Labour Party wanted a panel of five councillors, three Labour, one Conservative, one LibDem. This was not at all fair and after Conservative representation, Labour agreed to a six-member panel, adding one independent, and thereby including all parties.

This also appeals to the principle of democracy, something that Labour has been having difficulties grasping. This is only fair, you would think, but if it were not for the Conservatives standing up for the best interests of Harrow, Labour would have once again ridden roughshod over this borough, and as you have witnessed, the LibDems simply roll over not daring to oppose the will of their master.

He also said that the "council submission was the result of a real consensus" between the parties and that "the Conservatives chose not to contribute to that consensus". How pathetic. I feel embarrassed for anyone who would engage in politics at such a mediocre and petty level.

To set the record straight, the Conservatives did actually engage in the process and commented on Labour's proposals, but we could not agree on their political objectives. Thank the Lord for opposition, in the face of dictatorship. This is even more disgraceful as the LibDems put in another proposal alongside the consensus they so rallied behind. Hypocritical, methinks.

The Lib Dems have shown by this disgraceful episode that they are not a sincere political party, and will never oppose Labour. Without the Conservatives, as the biggest opposition party on the council, we would all be at the mercy of mediocre Lib-Lab politics.

Mark Versallion, Deputy

Chairman, Harrow West

Conservative Association

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.