Although Wiltshire Council lost only a single seat to UKIP at last week’s elections, the challenge from Nigel Farage’s minor party which has stormed ahead in the polls must be taken seriously.
That is the warning from Claire Perry, the Tory MP for Devizes, who declares: “Nationally, there were predictions of doom and glooms that did not come to pass but clearly the growth in the UKIP vote is something that must be taken seriously.
“I am not at all clear what, if any, local policies their council candidates were espousing and of course the irony is that a vote for UKIP at a General Election might lessen the chance of a Conservative victory.
“This would result in a government led by Ed Miliband who will not deliver a referendum on Europe as David Cameron has promised – and will also be hell-bent on wrecking the British economy in the finest Labour Party tradition.
“However, my party clearly needs to do more to communicate the great progress we are making in dealing with Britain’s long term problems – including shrinking Labour’s deficit by a third since the election, reforming the welfare state so work always pays, cutting net immigration by a third, reforming our schools and transforming our relationship with Europe.”
In her weekly local newspaper column, Mrs Perry points out that the local elections delivered “great results for Conservative candidates in the constituency.”
And she adds: “Months of hard work paid off with the Conservatives winning all four council seas in Devizes and taking two other seats from independents in Marlborough and Aldbourne, while the overall vote share across the constituency hardly changed from the General Election.
“But here is no complacency in Wiltshire – and all intend to work as hard as possible to deliver better services at good value from Wiltshire Council.”
Planning permission finally granted for the old council depot site off the Salisbury Road
