Woking Liberal Democrats pandering to the Labour vote

The Woking Liberal Democrats are targeting Old Woking ward, currently held by Labour’s Peter Ford. It is a ward that the Tories cannot win, but the Liberal Democrats want it. The residents of Old Woking have received “personalised” election material bad mouthing the Labour Government.

“Violent crime has doubled under Labour” says the Woking Liberal Democrat leaflet.

“The Liberal Democrats’ approach is an honest one based on what works rather than what sounds good.”

Liberal Democrats. Honest. Isn’t that an oxymoron? Anyhow, if you want a platitudinous statement, you can always rely upon a Liberal Democrat to give you one.

The election “communication” goes on,

“We will:

· Put more Police officers on the street – free them from endless paperwork
· Take back our town centre – by empowering local people to have a say
· Honesty in sentencing – if a sentence is for a year then a year will be served
· Make prison work by ensuring that prisoners work and undertake education
· Introduce a system of compensation for victims – money earned by prisoners will be given to victims of crime”

Put more Police officers on the street? The funding and organising of the Police is undertaken at County Council level under direction of central government. The Borough Council does not have any power in this respect at all.

Take back our town centres? How many town centres has Woking got? There is only one as far as I am aware. And when did we lose it so that it needs to be “taken back”? How is being “given a say” going to “get it back”? What a load of complete nonsense.

Honesty in sentencing? This is another issue entirely in the hands of central government and irrelevant to borough elections.

Make prison work? This is the most incredible joke of all. Until Ming Campbell arrived, the Liberal Democrats were all wishy-washy on crime and they had been for many years. Anyway, prison is a matter, once again, for central government, not the borough.

Introduce a system of compensation for victims? Leaving aside the facts that a government funded scheme has been in place for decades and criminal courts have the power to award compensation, how much money do the Liberal Democrats think that a prisoner can earn “inside”?

The Woking Liberal Democrat literature being delivered in this part of Woking is utterly irrelevant to borough council issues.

“Liberal Democrat councillors have been working flat out to address crime in Woking” boasts the leaflet. Well, if that is true (and it is from the horse’s mouth) the Woking Liberal Democrats have been wasting their time and our money, because crime is not within their remit, other than to say “pretty please” (with various photo opportunities thrown in here and there) to those who do hold the power or purse strings.

At least Old Woking voters have been spared Liberal Democrat claims that “Labour can’t win here!” as happened in 2003 in the Labour stronghold of Stoke ward, Guildford. Old Woking is a Labour ward. Keep it that way. So attention all Labour supporters, get out and vote for Cllr Peter Ford. And I’m calling all Tories in Old Woking, too. Now it’s pay back time. You’ve been on the receiving end, but now it’s your turn to vote tactically. You know it makes sense. Vote Labour. Vote Peter Ford. Keep out the Woking Liberal Democrats.


The Liberal Democrats. Think that Labour voters are stupid.