I had a letter in the Hartlepool Mail tonight,

Dear Editor,

Hartlepool has had a Labour MP since1945, except for1959 when Commander Kerans took Hartlepool for the Conservatives for a single term. The same applies to the council, apart from a short period when a Conservative/Liberal Alliance held a majority, Hartlepool Council has been dominated by Labour.

So has this loyalty to Labour brought Hartlepool economical success, employment and well paid jobs? Unfortunately not.

In 2010, while the Tall Ships were in town, the office of national statistics reported 25% of working age people in Hartlepool were in receipt of benefits. Compare that to 20% in the North East and 15% in England overall.

Has this loyalty to the Labour Party brought improved health and life expectancy? Unfortunately Not!

The Public Health Observatory reported in 2005 that life expectancy of Hartlepool's women was the LOWEST in the country. Fifty years ago Hartlepool has five hospitals, including a specialist maternity hospital. Today it has one hospital and that is unlikely to survive much longer.

So what has loyalty to Labour brought Hartlepool? It has brought Hartlepool almost to its knees.

Many people are proud they vote labour. Ask them why? Often they don't have an answer other than “Always have, always will” Maybe it's time to start looking for a better reason than that?

We have 60 years of neglect to combat. Sixty years of labour taking the town for granted and 60 years of party political point scoring being more important than really getting things done.

In May 2012 let's start the fight back. Let's ditch the national political parties. Let's all put Hartlepool first.

Stephen Allison
13 Beaconsfield Square
Hartlepool

Of course one of the usual suspects couldn't wait to point out the use of the Beaconsfield Square address and the fact that there is an election coming. So I suppose it's about time for them to start up the "Where does Stephen Allison live?" debate again. If I am sat in my office in the top floor of Beaconsfield Square when I'm doing something then that's the address I use. Typically when I am at Beaconsfield Square its to do with work or council business. If I'm sat in my study at Hurworth Burn when I'm doing something, then that's the address I use. Typically that will be more personal stuff. If I send something from a train then the address on the bottom will be "Sent from my Blackberry" It all depends upon where I am at the time and which hat I'm wearing. When Hartlepool Council write to me, which they do quite frequently, then they send the correspondence to Beaconsfield Square. If Sedgefield Council want to write to me, which they about once a blue moon, then they use Hurworth Burn. If anyone really cares I'm writing this from Hurworth Burn.


PS My first ever letter to the Hartlepool Mail back in 1986 was on almost the same subject! That the only constituencies that get any attention are marginals so Hartlepool would be better off with anyone other than Labour for MP, even if it was only for one term. Just shows how nothing really changes!