IN the past, this country, along with other pro-democratic countries, helped to bring the Soviet Union along the road to being a democratic state.

Now we find that New Labour, under Generalissimo Blair, has decided that we must return to the position that the Soviet Union was in and become a dictatorship.

It would appear now that our own local authority is jumping on the bandwagon and is hell-bent on doing the same.

When I voted in the local elections, I voted for a councillor to represent me, but now find that there is to be a cartel of eight councillors who will decide what happens in the Socialst Republic of Blackburn with Darwen.

It also seems that about half the ruling party are not in full agreement with this dictatorship.

Would I be right in thinking that the cartel will be expecting a rise in their already-overpaid expenses and that all the other remaining councillors who do not make the team will be taking a massive cut in theirs, as they will be doing far less work than they were elected to do?

The exclusion of the press and public from meetings stinks. All elected councillors, not eight dictators, are responsible to the electorate that voted them into office.

BRIAN WHITE, Risedale Grove, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.