With regard to the very fine article by Louisa Clarence-Smith (Boris backs down, December 4) I would just like to pay tribute to the Wimbledon Guardian for the massive amount of campaigning coverage that our local community newspaper has given to this dreadfully important issue. It would have been quite impossible to prevent the evictions of the families living at Raynesfield in Raynes Park without that gigantic support.
It's Christmas. Sean Duggan has a fine newspaper. This is because he has a staff of wonderful journalists who are a major help to our community. So Merry Christmas, folks. And this year you have really earned it.
Obviously Andrew Judge already knows that I think his leadership of Labour's campaign to save those families from eviction is one of his greatest achievements in a political career of massive achievements. He couldn't have done it without Stephen Alambritis masterminding Merton Council's public debates and publicity campaign, and Siobhain McDonagh turning it into a major political issue at a national level that absolutely terrified the Tories on the London Assembly.
Now we know how she has managed to save St Helier hospital three times. However, just this once let's forget the politics and pay tribute to another fine lady who has worked very, very hard to stop those evictions. Her name is Councillor Mary-Jane Jeanes, a very fine Lib Dem, and without her superb hard work those evictions would definitely have gone ahead. She even spent a huge amount of her own money to replace the furniture of those families! What a really lovely and wonderful lady she is, and what a credit she is to our award-winning council. She is a major reason why Merton has won the award for being Britain's most successful council. Mary-Jane Jeanes is a school teacher and former scientist (who once proof-read one of my articles about the Hadron Collider). Now she has given the families of Merton a truly fabulous Christmas present, and it is time to give her a cabinet job on the council. She has earned the thanks of our entire community.
Thanks to Wimbledon Guardian for campaign coverageAnd meanwhile I wish a very Happy Christmas to all of the readers of the Wimbledon Guardian who have made this such a fine community to live.
Michael Barltrop
- Send your letters to: letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk
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