AFTER the Andrews liver salts have been applied to the election hangovers, I have no doubt the Labour Party representing Leigh East ward will be sitting down and asking itself questions.

One such question could be how come an unknown, rank outsider with zero financial backing and only seven weeks experience, was able to take on the big national Labour machine, claiming 9% of the votes?

The answer is simple: my leaflets didn't harp on about "delivering a better borough and a fairer Britain." My leaflets talked about Leigh, about caring passionately for Leigh! One thing Leythers don't care about, unlike the councillors, is the borough.

People in Leigh want to know why the town is missing from maps and news broadcasts? Why is Leigh rapidly losing its identity? Why council taxes go up and nothing in the town to show for it?

Labour supporters will no doubt say: "But the people voted Labour." A well known saying around Leigh is that you can put a Labour badge on a donkey and the people will vote for it!

I feel I could've got more votes but I started my campaign late. With little financial resources, I wasn't able to blanket the undeniably large area with my views, and I'm sorry to the people who did vote for me that I couldn't do more.

Unlike any of the Labour Party representatives, I have no political aspirations and only one aim, and unlike the Labour officials, I want to help the people of Leigh by getting them "out of Wigan". I suspect many of the Independent votes came from a particular area, a thin corridor stretching from Kirkhall Lane to Leigh Bridge, but I thank everyone.

Next year it will be different. Plans are ahead to form a committee with the sole intention of winning a place on the Council and "fighting Leigh's corner!"

We didn't win the first battle but the conflict goes on. There will be meetings and discussions on how to raise funds for OUR campaign. I'll also be looking for an emblem to put on next year's voting slip. I thought of using a thorn, as it's my intention to be watching this Council's every movement.

Something Oliver Cromwell said sticks in my mind. It's something that I can undeniably mirrors the true feelings of the people who voted Independent in Leigh East, their feelings towards Wigan Council:

"You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing.

"Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"

A final word for now: I met a few people on the campaign trail (none in Leigh East), who though born in Leigh, believe they are Wiganers. My advice to them is to turn right at the Sportsman and keep going.

John Sumner

Platt Street

Leigh

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.