Conservatives fire first election salvo.

The local election in my ward in Tunbridge Wells is a key one for the local Conservatives. The Conservative candidate is the Leader of the Council and he is opposed by UKIP (who won the seat from the Tories last year), Liberal Democrats who came close to gaining second place last year and Labour who have not contested the seat for a number of years.  My prediction is that the Conservatives will hold the seat by a very small majority.

Last year the Conservative campaign in my ward was abject.

The first election leaflet through my letter box is from the Conservatives.  It concentrates on ward issues and the positive action of the Leader of the Council to deal with the towns 'grot spots'.  Not a single mention of national issues.  This I applaud.  Local elections should be fought on local issues.  I note the Labour Party has a party political broadcast which concentrates solely on the government's changes to the NHS and invites electors to vote Labour in the local elections. Local elections should not be a glorified opinion poll on national issues. Why should excellent councillors of whatever political persuasion be judged on the electorates' attitude to national issues and not on what they have done, and propose to do, locally?