THE personalisation in local politics from the council’s Conservative and Liberal Democrat opposition highlights parties bereft of ideas. Politics should be about ideas and ideals, not personalities and name calling.

I take the responsibility of leading the council very seriously, so take issue with the assertion that I should “get a proper job” to quote a Conservative councillor. I also take issue with being attacked for not being in a position to get on the housing ladder in York, a situation many thousands of local residents find themselves in. I take issue with the level of abuse being posted on social networking sites by opposition councillors.

The level of debate needs to be raised in this city, not brought down to the lowest common denominator. With this kind of personalisation and pettiness, it is little wonder the ordinary man or woman on the street is turned off by the democratic process.

So I say to the opposition parties: challenge me and my party on our policies, be that on the Local Plan, the local economy or anything else, and get away from personal attacks which have nothing to do with improving the lives of York residents.

Coun James Alexander, Labour Leader of City of York Council

 

• I SOMETIMES wonder if council leader James Alexander and his deputies are driven by a passion for the city of York and its residents or motivated by other things.

I suspect that the answer is more likely that they are driven by party politics and political advancement, and within a few years the leader in particular will have moved on.

Depending on your viewpoint, that may not be such a bad thing, but what kind of city will they leave behind?

Philip E Sunley, Paddock Way, York.