Friday, August 20, 2004
A Week Of Public Meeting
This week has been extremely busy with meeting about the M6 Toll Road proposals. David Kidney the local Labour MP has called a number of public meetings, all of which I have attended. On Monday night it was at Hyde Lea, Wednesday at Burton Manor, Thursday at Derrington, and tonight at Holmcroft. In an attempt to get the Lib Dem message across the Stafford Constituency Party have been delivering leaflets in the areas that might be affected by the proposal, and I’m sure it was these that ensured such a large turn out at each venue.
It was clear that David was walking a fine tightrope has he tried to show his opposition to the scheme without criticising his Government more than he needed to. I was also obvious that most people who attended the meeting were against the proposal. David Chambers – the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate was also in a bit of a fix. I have to admit he was honest with the audience and did say that the Conservatives in Parliament were, like Labour, in favour of the scheme, although he did go on to say that personally he was against it and would support David in his attempt to get it scrapped. After the Holmcroft meeting I was talking to one of the residents who said he could not see any point in voting Conservative or Labour as they were both supporting the scheme!
It was clear that David was walking a fine tightrope has he tried to show his opposition to the scheme without criticising his Government more than he needed to. I was also obvious that most people who attended the meeting were against the proposal. David Chambers – the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate was also in a bit of a fix. I have to admit he was honest with the audience and did say that the Conservatives in Parliament were, like Labour, in favour of the scheme, although he did go on to say that personally he was against it and would support David in his attempt to get it scrapped. After the Holmcroft meeting I was talking to one of the residents who said he could not see any point in voting Conservative or Labour as they were both supporting the scheme!
