THE Tories are setting their stall out early for next year's inaugural North Yorkshire mayoral elections, with the faces of their Party Chairman and their candidate in the Craven Herald last week (Party chair meets mayoral candidate on visit, Craven Herald, November 30).

Doubtless they will be assuming that their candidate will prevail, with a Tory council and wall to wall MPs across the region.

However their candidate’s record as executive member of the council for Highways and Transportation is less than impressive. Public transport in much of North Yorkshire, including Craven, is threadbare at best.

Investment in active travel is practically non-existent and 'Gateway' schemes in Harrogate and Skipton have been cancelled and scaled down respectively, wasting millions of pounds.

Nationally the Tories are a busted flush, having presided over 13 years of declining public services, a record tax burden and a stagnant economy. Gone are the days of the blue rosette being a vote winner. Voters see the failings of Tory administration at every level and they want change.

Doug Clark

Cononley