SO Blackpool Council's boss Ivan Taylor is thinking about forcing through a single party cabinet. This will decide in secret most key issues. Why such an idea? Did ALL the people of Blackpool rush to vote Labour on May 4th?

No. In the safe Labour wards only two out of every ten people could be motivated to vote. My analysis of the election reveals 34,400 votes against Labour candidates, with only 26,500 votes for Labour candidates.If the Council had a leader who understood democracy, he would now be seeking to establish an all-party administration. We Liberal Democrats were not robbed this time by the system. We are pleased to have two new councillors, Gaynor Wynne and Jon Bamborough. Also the return to the Council by Robert Wynne and our former parliamentary candidate Doreen Holt.

We are very pleased that our campaigning also helped to oust two particular Labour councillors -- those most linked to the Leys Farm planning disgrace and the elephant goads issue. So with our limited resources we are pleased with our progress.

We expect Blackpool Tories to continue their blind support for the pathetic voting system, even though it has totally failed to reflect the democratic wish of Blackpool voters. They have failed to notice that their total vote was 300 more than the total Labour vote. The system is a fraud -- it has given Labour EIGHT more councillors for less votes.

Will Ivan Taylor have the arrogance to claim that the voters want him to set up a one party cabinet? Or will the Blackpool Labour Party grasp the true meaning of democracy and elect a new leader?

Steven Bate,

Press Officer,

Blackpool & Fleetwood Liberal Democrats,

17 Ashfield Rd,

Blackpool.