MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR! - Letter (22/12/04)

Dear Sir,

I should like to send festive greetings to all the residents of my ward, St Cuthbert Out North and West, and to everybody in the county council division of Mendip West.

Last year was a very interesting one politically. Despite everything that went wrong for them Labour maintained a small lead in the opinion polls. The Lib Dems did well at by-elections. Congratulations to both these parties. The Conservatives, however, did even better as they actually won the only two elections that really mattered in 2004. In the elections to the European parliament they obtained more seats than any other party in the UK, and in council elections they became the largest party in local government. The referendum in the North East, where the vote was 4/1 against the Labour and Lib Dem plan to set up elected regional assemblies, was also a triumph for the Conservatives.

So, if 2005 sees a repeat of 2004 politically, we will have the Conservatives taking over control at Westminster as well as in Somerset County Council.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !

Yours faithfully

Ron Forrest