We have taken the decision to publish this letter online (and others) as it was sent to the Lincolnshire Echo Editor following their decision recently to publish a letter from a Labour supporter which contained various unsubstantiated attacks and erroneous information and contrary to previous such letters concerning political opponents, was NOT given the right of reply (The Echo ‘Lawyers' must have been on holiday, how inconsistent of them.)
Subsequently only one of the supportive four letters we have also been sent copies of has been published offering a contrary view to that put forward by the Lincoln Labour Party. We are aware of at least one other hard copy letter and there may be others, only the Echo would know…
Dear Editor,
Last week's Echo carried a letter from a Mr. Weller of Lincoln who took issue with our local MP, Mr. Karl McCartney and his stance on certain legislative debates. The writer inferred that the gift of a ticket to a garden party would sway our MP's views in favour of the donors
I strongly object to this assumption and do wish that people would not judge others on the basis of what from experience, they might expect from some members of the Labour party.
I might not always agree with Mr McCartney, but I recognise that he is his own man and makes his judgements fairly and mindful of the long-term welfare of the Lincoln Community, popular or otherwise. At the same time, he has been proved to have the courage to stand up for his own beliefs despite a vendetta of denigration by the Labour Party. Frankly, I find it incredible that anyone should think that he could be bought so easily and cheaply.
I would highlight his recent article in the Echo on the unworkable smoking ban in cars. He voted against the ban not because he approves of adults smoking with children in the back seats, but because it would become yet another expansion of the "Nanny State" which would probably not work in practice anyway. He believes that people are mature enough to make up their own minds on this issue now that the dangers have been emphasised.
It seems to me that Mr McCartney's political opponents have a habit of picking on him whilst at the same time ignoring the transgressions of those of their own persuasion. I hope that they will be mature enough to consider whether or not to vote for Councillor Ric Metcalfe, a Labour councillor for Glebe Ward, who has never lived there and indeed left Lincoln five years ago. However, he is still the Labour Leader of the City Council and raises our Council Tax whilst enjoying the lower Conservative Council Taxes where he lives.
Hypocrisy is alive and well.
Yours sincerely
Heather Alibakir