Two party is normal state

The letter by Anthony Burns of Borehamwood said: “It is a shame that local Lib Dem councillors were punished for the mistakes of their national leaders, leaving us with a two-party system, which somehow feels less democratic and less representative.”

Ironically residents of Elstree and Borehamwood have existed in a two-party state for many years — not because the Liberal Democrats have been voted out locally, but because the party puts up very few candidates for election to our towns. Last year when there were five borough seats up in Elstree and Borehamwood, the Lib Dems only put up one candidate. At the same time, the BNP put up two. This year when there were five borough and 13 town council seats up for grabs, the Lib Dems put up candidates for just two out of the 18 seats.

We have insisted for quite some time that this is wrong and have had discussions with consecutive Lib Dem leaders on Hertsmere about this enforced democratic deficit. Voters should have a right to be able to turn up to a polling station and expect at least the three major parties to have put up candidates.

The Liberal Democrat party in Hertsmere has shown little respect to the electors of Elstree and Borehamwood and have now run out of luck in Bushey, where historically they had held the majority of their seats for the past 40 years. Their absence may be rightly regretted by some residents, as it is by members of all parties across the chamber at the council where we have worked together to run the authority, but they will not be missed in Elstree and Borehamwood because they have never been here.

Let’s hope that imbalance is recognised by the Lib Dems and that they do more in coming years to afford local residents an opportunity to vote for another party other than Conservative or Labour, should that be the wish of electors in our towns.

Cllr Morris Bright
(Cons, Elstree)
Cllr Dr Harvey Cohen
(Cons, Brookmeadow)