There is apparently no sense of shame or hypocrisy in Reading’s Labour Party. Today I read that Labour’s Transport Supremo Tony (IDR) Page said “It’s a matter of great concern to me and my colleagues that the administration is downgrading a long-established commitment to public transport and the importance of a third Thames bridge.” This is from the man who put the Third Thames Bridge at number 30 of a list of 30 projects in the TIF bid 18 months ago, meaning that it was kicked into the long grass depsite questions from myself about its priority. This man has no shame and a very select memory. His support for public transport does not apparently extend to providing a bus station at the heart of Reading’s bus network for the good folk of Reading which we will now do without for the foreseeable future.

Then we had a Council meeting last night where Labour proposed an amendment to  a report on Budget savings, asking the Administration to look at alternative ways of providing public services other than directly through the council. This, you will not be surprised to hear is exactly what the Administration has been doing since it was elected in May, looking for the most efficient ways to deliver services, minimising any potential cuts and ensuring continuity of service. It is of course difficult when faced with having to make savings of £19m in a total budget of £160m as a result of Labout mismanaging an economy, but the Administration decided to accept and support the amendment anyway. Then the Labour councillors, with a breathtaking show of hypocrisy voted against the amended report recommendations. The truth is they were trying to trap the Administration into voting against what, on the face of it, was  a sane amendment. We did not fall for that particular trick and Labour ended up with egg on their faces by voting against something they had just proposed. But the farce was there for all to see, no principles, no shame, just pure farce from Labour.