Leader: Shattered dreams and broken promises
Newsdesk • Published 8 Jul 2010 13:00
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TALL talk may win hearts and minds but in the cold light of day actions speak louder than words.
This is the stark reality facing the Tories and Lib Dems both nationally and locally as voters call on them to stand by their election pledges.
As shadow minister, Grant Shapps was delighted to add his voice to the campaigners fighting Thames Water's planning application for housing on the defunct Bath Road reservoir in April.
Move on barely three months and as Housing Minister his support was significantly watered down when he returned on Tuesday.
In the same way parents at All Saints Infants thought backing for their solution to the school places crisis was academic after vocal support from Reading's Conservative councillors. But now the borough's own coalition leaders, Cllrs Andrew Cumpsty and Kirsten Bayes, face a similar rough ride to Cameron and Clegg.
They have told teachers, pupils, mums and dads that they are unlikely to get an extra six months to launch a £500,000 bid to buy nearby August House and create their own junior school - instead the council wants to sell it to the highest bidder.
The Tory-Lib Dem coalition swept to power pledging change, but tied up by shoestring budgets and swingeing public sector cuts, the dust is settling to reveal a mountain of broken promises.
Coalitions rarely sit comfortably, and with a record budget deficit and tough decisions still to broker nationally and locally, bad news will not be far behind but voters have long memories.
Who will be disappointed next?
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