Prepared to differ (From York Press)

Prepared to differ

11:39am Thursday 30th August 2012 in Letters By Reader's letter

OUR Conservative group has been most interested in Coun Lynn Jefferies’ reasons for quitting the Labour Party, especially in light of letters from Labour supporters to The Press over the past months alleging that the Conservative group is in disarray.

Quite the opposite – although it’s no secret that we’ve had our differences; unlike Labour, Conservatives expect members will often have conflicting opinions on important issues and actively welcome people who think for themselves.

Labour’s top-down approach has never worked, whether it’s dictating national policy, attempting to mandate change for the sake of it in York or exercising maximum control over the individualists within its own party.

Eventually something always has to give, in this case the patience of a valued councillor. We are not surprised, given that just halfway through Labour’s four-year term leading the council, the rest of York has also run out of patience with this secretive, controlling and out-of-touch administration.

Coun Tony Richardson, Conservative, Haxby and Wigginton ward.