George's joke an affront to Northamptonshire

Written by Cllr Scott Collins and published in Northampton Chronicle and Echo on Mon 14th Sep 2009

A slow hand clap to George Osborne for his latest stand-up act.

The Shadow Chancellor's announcement that a Conservative government would take a crash-course in spending cuts from Tory-run councils is a joke to many across Northamptonshire.

For the heir-presumptive to Number 11 Downing Street to learn lessons from Conservatives in Northamptonshire is an indictment of his character.

Since the Conservatives took control of County Hall in 2004, local services - from schools and social services to roads and recycling centres - have been butchered.

Crude cuts to social care, a string of financial scandals and eye-watering Council debt is the legacy of Conservatives in our county.

Notably, the Chron's revelation that County Hall will owe a breathtaking £629 million by March 2010 - the result of Conservative policies - contradicts David Cameron's claim that we are already borrowed to the hilt.

I, for one, am fed up of the Conservatives' 'say-anything, do-nothing' approach to politics. One thing is clear - they are not fit to govern.

Scott Collins

Borough Councillor for Eastfield

Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for South Northants