LETTER: Angry over twinning decision

THE Labour Party often brands us Conservatives as out of touch. Last month both they and the Lib-Dems left me feeling angry, ashamed and embarrassed at their proposal to twin Pendle with a town in Palestine.

We had Labour ringleader Mohammed Iqbal managing to force through a motion to twin Pendle with a town in Palestine, propped up by David Whipp and his Liberal chums.

Whether these two are thinking of taking over the UN is as yet unclear. What is clear is they have completely lost the plot with a one-sided and ill-informed argument which favours Palestine over Israel. There was no proposal to twin with an Israeli town. This was a clear act of support for Palestinians only, not a vote to help the peace process, which is something I am sure we would all endorse.

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I was embarrassed at the national press coverage this received in the Jewish Chronicle, who stated: “It is best known for its association with the infamous witch trials of the 17th Century, but the Lancashire area of Pendle has now set its sights on a new scapegoat – Israel.” Is that the kind of council we want to be seen as?

I was angry because many local people were left scratching their heads. Haven’t we in Pendle got problems of our own to be sorting before becoming the latest UN Peacekeeping Force?

We should be looking at how we can continue to freeze council tax, create jobs, and help people out of deprivation. Maybe the people of Palestine matter more than the people of Pendle to Labour and the Lib-Dems.

I would like to make it clear Conservative councillors voted against this motion. Instead, we will continue to concentrate on the things we were elected to solve, and will strive to improve Pendle. That is, after all, what we are here for.

COUN. PAUL WHITE

Boulsworth ward