I WAS surprised to read the self-congratulatory letter (June 18) from Bury South MP Ivan Lewis, which not only sought to claim a Labour victory in the local elections, but was cheeky enough to see the result as "a significant vindication" of the Labour government and the Labour council.

If Ivan Lewis genuinely believes this, and is not just indulging in Labour's notorious spin, then he needs to take care that he does not lose touch with his electorate now that he is a Minister.

Despite all the sustained personal attacks mounted by Labour on several Conservative candidates, we managed to secure a clear victory on the popular vote.

In the Bury North constituency, Conservatives polled 16,526 votes to 12,685 for Labour. Over the whole borough, Conservatives polled 26,321 (37 per cent) to Labour's 25,084 (35 per cent) -- a funny kind of Labour victory.

Our victory came despite the new ward boundaries put forward by Labour which were not meant to do Conservatives any favours. It was a "stitch-up"!

We were also up against the council's propaganda machine and free newspaper, extolling the Labour leadership, which I maintain was still being distributed during the election period.

In order to hang onto marginal wards, Labour were forced to accept Conservative policies on weekly refuse collection, the safeguarding of the market and the private care homes for the elderly.

COUNCILLOR ROY-E. WALKER,

Conservative leader, Bury MBC.