Yes, London matters to Chelmsford

Just over two months after the process started, the Lib Dems have selected Brian Paddick as their candidate to take on Ken Livingstone in next May's London Mayor election. Today he gave his first speech as candidate. If he can get the Oyster card travel payment system extended out our way, I am sure many thousands of us who often travel into London will be pleased.

Tories not green or pro local power

The Conservative commitment to the environment and giving local people more of say is barely skin deep. For instance, in Chelmsford their solution to traffic congestion is measures they think will make the traffic move faster but usually just hinders pedestrians - such as in Victoria Road, Market Road and Springfield Road. They also think it is fine to cram large numbers of houses and flats into every little piece of empty land, such as at the Parkway/Rainsford Road junction, and scatter others around the countryside just to add to urban sprawl. We need real action on the environment not warm words.

Then today we learn, as if there was any doubt, that they just do not understand giving local people a say over local services. They think the solution to local council tax rises is to give MPs more of a say. No! Give local people more say over their council - and give councils greater control of their services and taxes. Yes the (Tory-created, Labour-supported) Council Tax is unfair, but don't tinker with the system. Lib Dems have been saying for years just abolish it! The man in Whitehall does NOT know best - whether it is schools, hospitals, police or planning. Jock Coats writes further about Cameron's vacuous localism