Letter: Tory role in reshaping local government

Sir: The devastation of the Tories in last week's local government elections, following their obliteration in the county elections in May 1993, demonstrates one matter very clearly.

The Tories at Westminster are the very last people to pronounce on the future structure of local government, as being formulated at this moment by the Local Government Commission.

We have the spectacle of a party in government with only one shire county, a handful of district councils and one metropolitan district voting its way, determining the future shape of local government.

The people of Britain have clearly said they do not want the Tories controlling local government. Surely the Local Government Commission's charge to dismember the shires of England should be suspended and the process of change be referred to those parties that have the major role in local government - overwhelmingly the Labour Party and, second, the Liberal Democrats?

Yours sincerely,

COLIN PICKTHALL

MP for Lancashire West

(Lab)

House of Commons

London, SW1

9 May