WARRINGTON’S new Labour administration certainly seems to have its work cut out.

The new Labour government headed by Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to re-nationalise Britain’s water companies and railways.

On both counts, Warrington should hang its head in shame.

The record of United Utilities’ sewage dumping activities, even in Lakeland beauty spots, tops the national league of shame, while demanding a 40 to 50 per cent increase in customer bills to fix the problem.

As for the railways, Warrington Bank Quay station was recently voted Britain’s worst mainline station and was mentioned on Radio 2.

Making a special mention of the vast, derelict Crosfields-Unilever complex, it was labelled a ‘blot on the landscape’.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to believe that this town used to be a proud, prosperous hive of industry less than 50 years ago.

It is now well on its way to becoming a ghost town and a laughing stock – embarrassing is the word

As the book of Samuel puts it: “How are the mighty fallen”.

TIM CLEWORTH

Warrington

I AM not a fan of politicians, of all persuasions.

My father once said of them that ‘if they fell into a vat of pig slurry, they would be wearing a brown suit’, I tend to agree.

And so it is with our new leader.

During the General Election, according to the House of Commons website, the Labour Party polled 33.7 per cent of the vote.

Hardly a resounding victory, and yet because of our electoral system, this gave Labour a lot of seats.

In spite of what is in reality a very poor vote for Labour, Sir Keir Starmer declared this a ‘very clear mandate from the British people for change’.

Compare that to the vote for Brexit, which was just short of 52 per cent – a whole 18 per cent more than Labour have just won.

If Sir Keir thinks 34 per cent is a clear mandate, what does 52 per cent represent?

More importantly, how did Sir Keir respond? Clearly, he thought the British people got it wrong, and that he needs to ignore them and reverse Brexit.

This is not a letter about the pros and cons of Brexit. It is more simple than that – it is about democracy.

Interestingly, Lord Ashcroft commissioned his own exit poll, post Brexit Vote, where a clear majority of those who voted for Brexit did so on the basis of their own democracy, even accepting that there might be some disadvantages.

I think the phrase is ‘a rich slave or poor free man’.

Sadly, too many people set out to hinder Brexit at every turn, so that in years to come, they could say ‘I told you so’.

If only we learned the lessons of the Corn Laws of 1815.

Significant trade deals with major international players which would have greatly benefited the UK economy have been blocked, not because of corn this time, but beef.

It would appear the beef that Americans and Canadians eat is not good enough for us.

Prices would have tumbled in the shops, but it is not to be. How very convenient for the anti-Brexiteers.

DERICK ACTON

Walton