Conservative excuses just don’t stack up

4:50pm Wednesday 16th May 2012 in Letters

Sir – What has happened to the art of losing gracefully?

West Oxfordshire District Council’s Conservative leader, Barry Norton, explained away the loss of five seats by claiming that the Lib Dems and Labour had agreed not to stand against each other.

How then does he explain the result in Eynsham, where the Labour candidate almost certainly deprived the Lib Dems of a win?

The new county council leader, Ian Hudspeth, makes a similar claim about losing in Woodstock. Yet four years ago he was challenged by the same Lib Dem candidate, also in a two-way fight, and he won then.

There is a simpler explanation: more people this time have exercised their democratic right to vote a different way. It is embarrassing, and also revealing, that these gentlemen blame everyone except themselves.

John Gittings, Shipton-under-Wychwood

Comments(4)

morgeo says...
2:29am Thu 17 May 12

He has a good teacher at the top in David Cameron who never really means what he says. He spoke about fairness to pensioners and we all thought he meant all pensioners but no he still condones discriminating against 500,000 who have their pensions frozen and never get any increases.
That's politics.

Report this post »

RobtheFox says...
5:20am Thu 17 May 12

With you there Morgeo...I'm afraid politicians invariably look for someone other than themselves for excuses. I have to smile at some of the "reasons" that get trotted out at each election...same...sa
me... bit like football club managers blaming the ref for a decision that completely changed the game while quite forgetting the rubbish they played for the other eighty-nine minutes.
And one only has to look at the current frozen pensions policy to see that after sixty years of discrimination, Minister Steve Webb says they cannot afford to up rate; arguments that have been proven to be rubbish...like that football team!

Report this post »

janeybird says...
5:55am Thu 17 May 12

The frozen state pensioners are still waiting Mr Cameron. You promised to end this injustice, this discrimination, this theft of our money. Yes our money, we paid into the NI fund all our working lives for our state pension. Not once over the years of paying in were we informed that if one moved to the "wrong"place to spend ones retirement one would not get annual uprating.
I guess we took it for granted that having won two world wars that we had freedom of choice when it came to our retirement plans. Shame on you David Cameron for allowing this discrimination to continue and turning your back on restoring justice.

Report this post »

morgeo says...
2:35pm Fri 25 May 12

Actually, on reading the headline again I would say that Conservative excuses DO stack up. They are increasing daily !

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree