HARSH comments in the Letters page in the Bolton Evening News on Friday, July 23, need a response. It seems, with some people, heads Lib Dems win, tails Labour lose, regardless.

Had the position been reversed and Labour were the largest party by one, we would have acted swiftly and decisively, formed an Executive, and assumed responsibility. We would have got on with the business of leading Bolton Council with its excellent status and been proud to do so.

The reality for us, however, is Lib Dems have one more seat than us. We acknowledged this immediately without acrimony. We were obviously disappointed because we believe we still have many excellent schemes in the pipeline to better people's lives for which others will try and claim credit. However, the electorate's democratic decision must be upheld in this "first past the post should take the leading role system".

The Lib Dems and Tories in a few press spats have tried to justify their positions but have shown obvious contempt for each other's views. What a major miscalculation by the Lib Dems to believe that their first stated choice of a Lib Dem/Conservative coalition could ever succeed.

Meanwhile, Labour were deliberately left on the sidelines to observe this pantomime before being asked reticently would we like to join in the political games and power share.

We had made our honourable position clear from the outset and we did not deviate. We would go into Opposition, as the second largest political party on the council, and scrutinise and monitor the Lib Dems' policies and executive decisions and performance in a constructive way. We would ensure that the new administration continued to provide quality services in a value for money way for all our people. This is our priority, quite straightforward, uncomplicated, without any under-handedness or high-handedness.

The running of the town is too important to be trifled with. No wonder people are disillusioned with politicians when some appear to enjoy playing the game publicly point scoring, instead of concentrating on the job for which they were elected to serve Bolton people with dignity.

Let's hope that now the novelty of winning the leadership and the enormity of the task ahead to maintain the highest standards demonstrated by our standing as one of the top 25 Local Authorities in the country, the Lib Dems will face up to their accountable position and concentrate on that alone. Labour pledges to be there as the town's sensible mature safety net to prevent cuts in services and see that common sense and fair play prevail for all.

Cllr Cliff Morris

Leader of Labour Group

Bolton Town Hall