Your letters - May 14, 2010

A very shabby performance? May I suggest that you look into the tactics by the Conservative Party 'tellers' who all but barred the way of voters in Battle? At one stage, I counted as many as five Tory Party representatives outside the tiny polling station in Market Square; three of whom appeared to prevent voters from entering the station until they had disclosed their names and voter numbers. Although there is no obligation to give any such information, many voters seemed confused as to whether they should cooperate or not. Not only did these tellers create a long and totally needless queue – they also created an intimidating atmosphere worthy of elections in far less politically advanced parts of the world than our own. Virginia Elliott-Nicholson Battle 'Thanks to all who voted for me' I would like to convey my thanks to all the people the who voted for me in the Bexhill and Battle Constituency at the recent General Election. This is the first time the British National Party have stood in this constituency and it will not be the last. We will be back and we will be stronger. We are the only party to put Britain and Britons first. Neil Jackson British National Party Farleys Way Peasmarsh Thanks to those who voted Lib Dem Through your letters page I would like to thank all of the people who in this constituency chose to vote Liberal Democrat – a vote for me. A substantial increase in the number who voted in this way in 2005 is very heartening. As I write this, the national picture is still unclear, but I do believe the result will be one which demonstrates that Liberal Democrats have principles and stick to them. I would like to thank everyone who supported me in my campaign in every way. I could not have achieved this result without the tireless energy of my agent and those who delivered leaflets throughout the constituency of Bexhill and Battle, which also includes Pevensey and Heathfield. Mary Varrall Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Fontridge Lane Etchingham Udimore Hall row still going on Hats off to Udimore Parish Council for their latest newsletter. I was gratified to see them casting, at long last, some strong official criticism in the direction of the Trustees of the new church hall. This abominable edifice has been constructed largely by finance from two or three hefty grants totalling 130,000, shovelled into the coffers of the Trustees by the manipulation and 'spin' of a small group of bullies. And it still isn't finished! Rumours abound as to how much more money is required to complete the job. I have heard it is as much as another 95,000. But nobody outside a hush-hush circle knows for sure, because despite several requests, we have only been furnished with meaningless waffle. "......the Trust," growled the Parish Council newsletter, "is controlled by two or three people without any accountability,...they do not hold an AGM or publish annual accounts or minutes of their meetings. They have complete control of the new hall...." It is this last point that raised my hackles in the first place, and set me at odds with our District Councillor leader, Carl Maynard. His council ignored its own guidelines for making grants to church-owned property, which were purposely designed to protect against complete ownership by the church, and doled out 50,000 to the Trustees and their unpopular project.. All my requests for an explanation as to why Mr Maynards's so-called 'cabinet' at Bexhill used their 'discretion' in doing this have been met with stonewalling and, when cornered', childish bluster from Mr Maynard. The next paragraph of the Newsletter made me grin. Apparently, our District Council need to make spending cuts, and free swimming may have to be reduced or eliminated. Just how free swimming costs the RDC money, I can't quite fathom. Nevertheless, it follows that if they hadn't been so free and easy with the mountain of our money that they wrongfully dished out in grants, the free dips enjoyed by Ryers might not now be in jeopardy. It makes you wonder at the calibre of the clowns who sit in control of our lives. Tony Bridgland The Old Post House Udimore. 'No-one deserved my vote...' I love politics but, for the first time in my life, I entered and left the polling booth not knowing for whom to vote. Just in case there was to be a hung Parliament, I voted for them all! Only joking! None of the three major party clones showed any sincere understanding of our country's desperate plight; their prime concern was petty party politics. None deserved my vote. Thanks to UKIP cocking-a-snook and disenfranchising the Battle and Bexhill electorate, we were left with one admirably bold but 'Politically Incorrect' and one little known independent. In the name of Democracy, UKIP owes us an explanation. I hope Tony Smith and his misguided committee will have the courage to respond. Barry M Jones Bixley Lane, Beckley Non-Barker votes 'chucked in the first past the post bin' The election is over and Greg Barker (pictured) has been elected as the MP for Bexhill and Battle. But what has happened to the votes of the 26,440 people in this constituency who didn't vote for him? It's very simple, those votes have been chucked in the "first past the post" bin, just like every other election in this safest of safe seats. Now that a coalition government has been formed, we must make sure that it keeps its promise of genuine electoral reform. Many alternative voting systems will be discussed but there is only one that will ensure that every vote in Bexhill and Battle is fairly counted, and that system is Proportional Representation. It's time to end this archaic "first past the post" stitch-up, so that there are no more wasted votes - after centuries of waiting, the people demand Fair Votes Now. Clive Bishop Asten Fields Battle