Well that’s democracy for you, the people have spoken in Newport, with a crushing rejection of the Liberal Democrats for their coalition with the Conservatives in Westminster, rather than for anything they have done locally. Labour in Wales’s representatives in Newport are in back in charge after 4 years out of office. What remains to be seen is whether or not they revert to type...and the slovenly arrogance that was their hallmark from 1981 until 2004 makes a comeback.
There are plenty of questions to be asked? Will Labour in Newport oppose their Government in Cardiff's plan to build an extra tunnel at Brynglas? Will they allow the potential destruction of 150 homes and the blighting many more? Or will they say and do nothing? Will their government in Cardiff finally sort out the opening of the Ebbw Vale to Newport railway? Will the cities elected Labour representatives vanish from sight for anotherr five years?
Their victory was hardly a swinging endorsement as the voter turnout was appallingly low in most wards (25% in some places), something that all democrats will need to look at. Former US Vice President Dan Quale once said: “A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls”. For those of us unhappy with Labour in power / office, the work begins today...
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