Dear Sir,

It is sad but predictable, that rather than expressing the elation that other townspeople feel at the coming of Hitachi and the jobs that this will create, Alan Warburton and ‘anonymous’ find it easier to attack Phil Wilson MP, for the leading role that he played in bringing this long-term investment to our area.

If they have any doubts about the pivotal role that Phil Wilson played, all they need to do is to read archived Newton News editorials, contact Simon Henig (Durham County Council Leader), or the Editor of the Northern Echo, to get the facts.

No, they do what they do best, denigrate and destroy, rather than support and build. Great Aycliffe Town Council, under the stewardship of Bob Fleming and the governing Labour Group has been widely praised – including by the Audit Commission – for maintaining services, during a period of swingeing government financial cut backs.

As they cannot criticise that success – they now have Phil Wilson in their sights. Meanwhile, he is fighting the corner for Newton Aycliffe, by keeping it in the news; passionately speaking up in Parliament in support of such as Hitachi coming here. He involved the people in producing a petition to keep the pressure on a dithering government, to grant the money needed for Hitachi to go ahead.

It was ‘WE’ did it, not I did it! A true independent (no political affiliation) would have backed Mr Wilson’s stand on Hitachi and understood the reason for it. Just as they would have understood why he continues to campaign on the town centre. This so-called Independent group do not back anything he does.

Look back at the number of half-baked, critical letters the Independents have sent to Newton News and ask yourself if you have ever read one of them that attacked the Coalition government and the damage they are doing to families in Newton Aycliffe? Not a single one!

The reason is that they are opportunists, opposed to Labour and that is the beginning and end of their political motivation. They hide their true political beliefs behind the badge of Independent, tritely stating that they represent the people, but attack a man who is supporting the fight for jobs in Newton Ayclffe and striving to improve and protect the environment . They have achieved and done nothing to bring about either of these things, yet perversely claim to be on the side of Newton Aycliffe people. They are political fakes who deceive people into thinking they care about them.

If they did care they would be attacking Mr Cameron and his millionaires for what they are doing to Newton Aycliffe families. That is the very last thing on their minds, only cheap shots and ya-boo politics occupy them.

Derek G Atkinson

Labour Party member