THE recent article headed 'newsletter in political pawn row' seems to be yet another example of the Liberal Democrats opportunistic election techniques, on this occasion sadly dragging the Scouting movement into the political circus ring.

With the county council, and another General Election just weeks away, residents of Bromsgrove will soon be aware that the Lib-Dems have a track record to promise everything and deliver nothing.

All over UK they are resurfacing after their four year hibernation, dusting off their photocopiers and churning out Focus newsletters. Occasionally they will hit lucky and persuade electors to vote for them and take control of the council. This is where the daydreams end. Take a look at Liverpool Council. Since the Lib-Dems took control council tax has gone up and up, while council services take cut after cut.

The Focus printed for the recent Slideslow by-election promised new smaller wheelie bins with a weekly rubbish collection, even to re-open the old school in Aston Fields. All pie in the sky stuff without any financial projections whatsoever.

What Bromsgrove Lib-Dems never feature in their newsletters are their real plans. If ever elected they would legalise heroin, bring down the legal age to buy alcohol to sixteen, or their conference promise to allow girls of sixteen to work in the hard porn industry.

Election time could be interesting for Bromsgrove. Let's see Lib-Dems print a manifesto, try and explain this 'local' income tax they hint at, and above all run an honest campaign.

Elaine Shannon

Shaw Lane

Stoke Prior