Thank you to Andrew Coates for pointing out the Labour Party’s response. They’re still saying “we’re against the sell off, but it’s not the right time”. I wonder if there were heated discussions before that equivocation came up. They must think they’ve got a chance of winning next year if they are saying “not yet” because they are going to have to do something very similar, although doubtless it will be packaged in a different way.
Let’s face it, if Labour councillors were really serious about stopping this sale they could do it with one phone call. The junior transport minister is Chris Mole, who is in charge of encouraging councils to sell off buses. Councils like Plymouth, Reading … and Ipswich. Ipswich can not be won without the work of the Labour councillors. They could simply say “Look Chris, we are not going to do a lick of work for you in any safe Labour ward and instead concentrate on winning the marginal wards in Ipswich Council unless you veto this bus sell off.” He’d almost certainly lose if Labour were out canvassing in Bridge rather than Gipping, and he knows it. And Labour could possibly win the council in May.
Instead Labour are not actually going to stop the sale, they’re going to use it to get the disgruntled and ambivalent to rally round the flag. And it’s working well. And then they will sell the buses off.
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