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Labour's power sharing bid

11:53am Tuesday 13th May 2008

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Photograph of the Author By David Watkinson »

THE Labour party in Blackburn with Darwen has called on coalition leaders in the borough to include them in running the council.

Coun Kate Hollern, the opposition Labour leader, has contacted all members of the council saying that because Labour is the biggest party in the borough it should have a role in running the authority.

The Conservative, Liberal Democrat and For Darwen partnership which runs Blackburn with Darwen Council continues this year following elections at the beginning of the month.

Labour has the most seats of any individual party but not enough for an overall majority.

Coun Hollern contacted all councillors and said: "The majority of people in the borough want us to work together for the good of the residents.

"Labour was also the largest party last year, but was excluded from government and that was not good for Blackburn with Darwen.

"I therefore invite you to join with me in creating a responsible government arrangement that would reflect the choice of the people of the borough and provide a stable democratic platform for the future.

"This would be a platform grounded on responsible policies upon which we could agree, not on ambition or personal gain.

"I invite you to meet with me as soon as possible to discuss how this might work."

Council leader Colin Rigby, Conservative, said that he has not even replied to Coun Hollern's message.

He said: "We never had this offer from the Labour party when we were in opposition and there will be no offer to them now. That is it. End of story."

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Mike Madigan, Blackburn says...
12:53pm Wed 14 May 08

I am disappointed that any approach was made by the Labour Group to join this unholy alliance that is running our council. After 45 years membership of the Labour Party and 25 years as a member of the Labour Group on the council I never have had any inclination to form any alliances with political opponents, particularly the likes of those currently running the council.
The Labour Group should not under any circumstances align themselves with benefit cheats, wife beaters and a motley crew who are totally without principles.
Blackburn people deserve better - Darwen people will no doubt continue to flirt with their opportunists.
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unrepresented, says...
9:27pm Tue 13 May 08

In response to Dave of Darwen. It is not Labour that this bunch is not listening to, its the majority of voters who gave Labour their support. They are the ones being ignored, just so Rigby can keep control, or so he thinks it is actually Tony Melia who is pulling his strings. That is why he was challenged as Leader by Michael Lee.Just watch what power Mr Melia will extract from the Tories, also watch him crush the Liberals at the next election.
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the voice of reason, says...
9:22pm Tue 13 May 08

I cannot believe the the arrogance of this man. I looked at the results and by my reckoning Labour won 8 ward, Tories won 6, one by just 3 votes, Liberals won 2, and for darwen won 3. This suggests to me that there is more support for Labour. Thoug a fair percent for others. Surely it would be common sense to include them, as they got more votes than any other party. Whats wrong with sharing, particulalrly with those that got the biggest vote. Otherwise we could have allsorts of minority Councillors deciding what the majority want.

Or is this just Mr Rigby not wanting to include people who beat him
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Rover, Blackburn says...
6:28pm Tue 13 May 08

As in the whole country Blackburn has shed this NEW labour fiasco and so it should imo the labour party is now more right wing than the tories and only because it would strain my gut to actyally vote tory i dont, but believe it or not i am actually like many others getting there,Blackburn as allways been hard cloth cap labour and some of these polititions and coucillors would do well to keep that in mind when they sit in the so called safe seats, time for a change the last group of councillors did very well imo,so let them get on with it,and keep up the good work.
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rss, backburn says...
5:38pm Tue 13 May 08

sounds like a good proposal!!!!!!!
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Hamish Mc, Darwen.on says...
4:19pm Tue 13 May 08

I do agree with dave,darwen on. he got it right when he said "It's not nice not listened too is it" for years where not listened too so Coun Kate Hollern and her cronies will now know what it is like, and I would not let them have a role in running the Authority as they had 24 years of running the Authority and the people got fed up with them so tell them no way will they get what they want any more.
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dave, darwen says...
2:12pm Tue 13 May 08

my message to Coun Kate Hollern and all her labour cohorts is its not nice not being listened too is it? its not nice feeling powerless and not having a voice? your government has created this systematic control attitute to everything and everyone so get use to it cause youve made your bed so sleep in it???
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Nanny State, Bring on 2010 says...
1:56pm Tue 13 May 08

No thanks Labour, let's not see you join the party, you've made a good enough job of screwing the rest of the country up with your dismal performance in Government!

Every time I pass a petrol station at the moment, the pump prices act as a reminder of sheer incompetence and stealth taxes!

The 10p tax rate cut and the smoking ban has hardly adhered you to the Labour "heartlands" either.
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onlyonesimongarner, says...
1:34pm Tue 13 May 08

Council leader Colin Rigby, Conservative, said that he has not even replied to Coun Hollern's message.

He said: "We never had this offer from the Labour party when we were in opposition and there will be no offer to them now. That is it. End of story."


When the tories where in opposition, they where not the biggest single party in the council. Labour had enough Councillors to run the town.

He has had to go cap in hand to political opposites, swindlers and absentees to keep him in power. A party with no morals you might say

This is what is fundamentaly wrong with the democratic system in this country.

Rigby has no mandate to Govern and should do the decent thing and include all elected representatives in what is a hung parliament.

No way should the party with least voted be allowed to be the pary in power. THAT IS JUST WRONG
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