It is a sign of the times that the Labour party is only bothering to contest 6 out of 10 of all the Council seats up for election on May 3rd. This is a new low for ruling party in a mid term local election.

Maybe it shows just how unimportant Labour now thinks local government has become. They have centralised more and more, seeking to guide and control most things from Whitehall. Why bother to try to win Councils if you pull the striings from the centre?

Or maybe it shows just how pessimistic they are about winning. Doubtless the spin doctors have already decided that they can show a bigger proportion of the vote for Labour if they leave out all the non contests from their figures which will be in areas where Conservatives or Liberal Democrats are well entrenched.

It is probably also because they cannot find people to stand with a red rosette on. The left are disillusioned by all the neo con rhetoric from Blair, and the floaters feel let down by the actions as Labour has reverted to type, taxing and borrowing its way to more control over our lives.

On the doorsteps there are many adverse comments about the Labour government. Many people seem to think there is going to be a General Election soon - if only! The most common complaint is the surge in the tax bills that people have experienced in recent years, as they count the cost of Council Tax, National Insurance, Inheritance Tax, Airport duty, Congestion charges and the rest.

Many want a change, but think??the change they need must come at Westminster. The best way of sending this message to the government is to vote against the Labour candidates that are putting up - and try to get a lower tax Council into the bargain.

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