Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

The frequency with which my fellow blogger, Nick Wallis, a Labour Party Cabinet member, attacks the Lib Dems on his blog, illustrates the success our small group is having in getting under the skin of the Labour Group.

I wouldn't normally bother to refer to his blog here, but his latest broadside so misrepresents the facts that I must grit my teeth and do so.

With regard to the Post Office closures issue, Nick claims that I said that "the Council did not oppose the closures". He is putting words into my mouth, so that he can knock them down, thereby hoping to conceal the truth of the matter: that these closures are a direct result of Labour Party policy and that the ruling Labour Group were not prepared for the closure announcements last week.

You can read Nick's nonsense here.

You can read the truth here.

Just for the record, here is the email sent to the Chief Executive on behalf of the Lib Dem Group by Cllr Fred Lawton back in October 2007:

From: Councillor Lawton
Sent: 22 October 2007
To: Ada Burns
Subject: Post Office Closures
Ada I've just read an article in the LGA magazine "First" about Post Office closures. I've always thought that becoming involved in the campaign against closures was a personal or a Party issue. The article points out that Councils and community leaders have responsibilities towards the most vulnerable people and communities. So perhaps all the councillors and the Council should be working together on this issue.
Have we been told, as DBC, what proposals there are for the closure of Post Offices within the Borough boundaries? If so, is that list available please? Are we, as a Council, responding to any proposals put forward and how are we doing that? Is there an officer on the Council who is dealing with this? Do we have an official line on the issue or is each proposed closure being dealt with individually?
I'd be grateful for any information you are able to provide.

We understand this was passed on within DBC, but no reply was received until we sent a reminder this January.

Liberal Democrats in Darlington were urging officers to take non-partisan, all-party action, on behalf of vulnerable people and local communities, way back in October 2007. Reading Nick's blog, you'd think the only people doing anything here are Labour councillors.