Wonderful Christmastime

We will soon have the usual right wing lies about councils 'banning' Christmas when the facts do not hold up. It happens every year and panders to the DM readers' 'everything is shit' beliefs.

Firstly, we have some preliminary scaremongering about Xmas lights. So Xmas hasn't been banned after all. The Mail is never one to let hypocrisy or misinformation get in the way of a good moan.

The headline, like a lot on Planet DM, is written by someone who hasn't read or written the article. I think it is a game they play in the office.

• The first town in Britain to put up its Christmas lights - with just 81 days to go!

Gosh, how ludicrous! But wait gentle reader, what are the facts?

• Businesses in the town pay for the electricity to power the lights, which will be officially switched on at a ceremony on November 23.
  The lights first blinked into life on Monday and were on again last night as proud town council representatives toured the display.

Now, we can argue that it may be a bit premature to put them up but they are not actually on, only in preparation. I'm the first to lambast the idiots that put up grotto displays on their houses requiring surges on the National Grid and that can be seen from Neptune, but this is another non-story.

I wondered why they weren't having a go at the looney lefties on the council for wasting tax payer's money. No mention at all. Here's why:

• Local government elections took place on 3rd May 2007 in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade. The constitution of the Town Council is now Conservative 16, Liberal Democrat 5. No Labour candidates were elected.



• Following the District Council Election on Thursday 3 May 2007, the constitution of the District Council is now Conservative 34, Liberal Democrat 12 and Labour 4.