Council Leader comes out fighting

Claims local Conservatives controlled by right-wingers

Council Leader Stephen Burke has come out fighting amid predictions that his administration is doomed to lose the election on the 4th May with a condemnation of the local Conservatives who are widely expect to take control of the Council.

He has stated that residents face a very clear choice between a Labour council that invests in better local services and keeps council tax low, and a 'right-wing' Tory party that would make huge cuts in local services and impose new and higher charges.

He said: "The Tories have admitted they have a secret budget which they won’t reveal until after the election. Residents have a right to know how they would make £50 million cuts in local services to implement their council tax promise. Those cuts would axe childcare and services for young people; hike up rents and end new affordable housing developments; cut services for older people and introduce charges for home helps. "

He accused his opponents of voting against extra funding for the local police teams; opposing new affordable housing scheme and having plans to do away with the improvements to recycling, parks and the environment introduced by the council.

He added, "The Tory party in Hammersmith & Fulham has been hijacked by right wingers. They didn't vote for Cameron as leader and they have deselected two popular local Tory councillors who did vote for Cameron. So much for being the 'nice inclusive party' "

The Labour party is claiming that it has an excellent record of running the borough with the biggest fall in crime in
London; the biggest improvement in secondary school results in London and more new affordable homes built than any other borough in London. They are hoping to persuade the electorate to give them another term by pledging cleaner streets and the ambition to be the greenest borough in London as well as a three year tax guarantee which would fix any rises below the rate of inflation..

May 3, 2006