Dear Sir,
Mr Warren Saunders exercises his right to air his views and prejudices in the press. Though, when penning his next diatribe against the Labour Party and calling into question the record and motives of Phil Wilson, our fine MP, he would do well to remember the words of CP Scott: ‘Comment is free, but facts are sacred’.
Let us deal with facts and debunk the fantasy contained in his letter. Food Banks are now a reality in your Tory Britain. The reality of poverty is all around us. Not for everyone, but there are too many going hungry in our town, behind the privacy of their front doors – often too proud to seek assistance – for any of us to sleep easily.
For many the choice is eating or heating and in some cases neither. Charity begins at home and if charity needs to be manifested in the guise of a Food Bank for the needy of our town, then so be it. “Are there no workhouses?” asked Scrooge. There are none, but, this mean-spirited Tory government is methodically dismantling much of the Welfare support system –  there to assist the most needy and vulnerable in our communities –  built up over the last century.
We in the north are taking much of the brunt of these enforced cuts, so we have to look after our own, our needy, in the face of these Tory inspired cuts.
Last week’s scribblings included further falsehoods to do with the Bedroom Tax. In February, our MP put out thousands of leaflets entitled:  ‘Tax Cut for the rich – a Bedroom Tax for the poor’. This leaflet was distributed across Newton Aycliffe and other parts of the constituency. The leaflet invited people affected by the Bedroom Tax, to meet Phil Wilson to seek help.
Mr Wilson and his team were well aware early, that this was a ticking time-bomb and of the ramifications of this ill-conceived Tory attack on some of the most vulnerable in our community. Two of the four surgeries advertised on the leaflet, lasted for two hours each and the other two for nearly three hours.
They were held in the Youth Centre, Newton Aycliffe, as well as in Trimdon, Ferryhill and Wingate. I attended the Saturday morning surgery held in the Youth Centre and could see that Phil had invited and assembled such as the CAB, as well as representatives of the local arms-length housing providers, to advise people and help, which they did.
As far as criticism about Hitachi, Mr Saunders’ assertions have again to be filed under the heading of fiction. Everyone knows that Phil Wilson was part of a high-powered team including the Northern Echo, and Durham County Council that lobbied to have the factory brought here; even Hitachi acknowledge that fact. This was always very much WE and not ME. Alas, this all has the smell of sour grapes concerning the success of our MP in these trying times.
Do not forget either the hours of hard work Mr Wilson put in – unsung, behind the scenes –  to get our town centre upgrade moving. This phase will be completed in November.  Yes, at times it has all been very much an uphill struggle and it is hard to believe it is nearly ten years since Tesco opened. But that can be in no way a reflection on our MPs unceasing  endeavours on our behalf.
Derek G Atkinson (Cllr.)