FOLLOW THE LEADER
We have received reports that Councillor Peter Burns, leader of Macclesfield Borough Council's Conservative Group and also known as the "Mussolini of Macclesfield", has issued Directive 132 as his latest blow for democracy.    The gist of his commandment is as follows :- RE: Council Debates, the item concerning council salaries. "We will not discuss this in public. Do not participate in debates. Vote against Labour or Lib-Dem amendments. Simply vote for The Leader's proposition." Other current gems include :- RE: The new constitution for Macclesfield which, fortunately, will give The Leader greater powers to sort this town out. "Do not participate in debates. Vote against Labour or Lib-Dem amendments. Simply vote for The Leader's proposition." RE: Stopping parents from putting a memento on the grave of a child. "With the election coming up, I have agreed that we should say, 'We are willing to look at this again.' Then we'll just put it on the back burner until after the election. Once again, do not attempt to enter into any debate on this or discuss it in public. Simply vote for The Leader's proposition." So! The Leader has issued his orders! And what we're waiting to see now is whether his party hacks will Follow The Leader as the party hacks did in Italy, the Soviet Union and Germany in the Bad Old Days. Plus ça change, and all that!

ELECTION DAY ANTICS
Panic spread in Tytherington on polling day, May 2nd, 2002. As office-weary fathers sat down for their tea and harassed mothers lulled babies to sleep, their quiet streets were assaulted by a garbled voice. It ranted at full and unintelligible volume from a loud speaker system mounted on a van.    The immediate reaction was, "Quick, they're cutting off the water!" In no time, pots, pans and water butts were brimming.    But when people peered through their curtains, hoping for more information as the van came around again, all was revealed.    It wasn't a Water Board van after all. It was none other than the local 'mafia' chief, wearing the usual uniform of black shades and black leather bomber jacket, ordering the people out of their houses to vote his stooge onto the local council.    The affect of his assault on the senses of the good people of Tytherington was, indeed, to get the voters out - but only to make sure that the stooge was left by the wayside when the votes were counted.    Hoollering at voters through a loud hailer might have been okay in the 70s and it might still be the thing to do in places like Liverpool - but it's certainly not appropriate at tea-time in Tytherington or anywhere else in Macclesfield. p.s. Which party Leader was strolling around the polling stations on Thursday, May 2nd, 2002, looking like an elderly Mafioso in his black leather bomber jacket and trying to pick fights with tellers for other parties? Surely not our Glorious Leader!