Dear Sir, I was astounded by Messrs Robson and Chandran’s attack last week on certain candidates because they come from – wait for it – Darlington! It was acerbic parochialism of the worst order, and it is no surprise that the same edition carried a letter of support for them from a correspondent who a few years ago declared for the BNP.
THEIR ISOLATIONISM To reject a candidate because they live in Darlington? The fact is that election rules intentionally accept people who WORK in an area. And does this not make sense? Aycliffe depends hugely on its Business Park. Those firms pay Business Rates, and thousands of their employees come here every day to work. Is it not right that they too should have a worker’s voice on the Council on rates, waste, potholes and the like?
OUR FUTURE With the current expansion of the Business Park, Aycliffe is facing its brightest future EVER. The Aycliffe Business Park Community Directors are growth-minded and community-aware. They wish to work with the Councils … and we need Councils who want to work with them. Elections may reflect our thoughts about the past, but they are actually appointments for the future. And as the future floods in, surely the answer is not to whistle an insular tune and throw bricks at strangers.
Surely the answer is to embrace the future in a way which enhances and protects our residents’ lives. Do not think that this is just politicians bickering – it is about where we want to take our town in the next four years. It is a matter of our underlying attitude to progress. So far, only the Labour candidates have told you what they intend to achieve when elected. Only the Labour candidates have outlined any promises for the local economy.
YOUR VOTE Old-time Tories on the town may find it strange that the Party advocating business growth and financial competence is LABOUR. But when you think about it, the clue is in our name – without secure jobs in a thriving local economy, we all suffer. So I appeal to electors to see last week’s embittered insularity for what it is, and instead to return Labour candidates to guide us sensibly into a future which will be the making of our town.
John D Clare
