Finally, Ian Austin gives an opinion on the Dudley mosque.
He stops short of saying if he is in favour or against the building of the mosque.
This, apparently, is too much to ask of our sitting MP on a subject which prompted 22,000 residents to sign a petition opposing the plans – an unheard of response to a Dudley planning application.
However, he does state the decision to build should never have gone to the Bristol-based Government Inspector and the original judgement by the council should have been upheld.
What a pity he waited until after the appeal was held to voice his concern.
Maybe if he had made his thoughts known as to how a democratically elected council can unanimously reject a planning application, backed by a 22,000 name petition, only for it to be allowed to go to an appeal, the appeal may never have been allowed.
Instead, one person without any links to the area and who will probably never return makes the decision, which is the total opposite of the majority of residents.
It is too little too late, Mr Austin, and is typical of democracy under Gordon Brown’s Labour Government.
D BARNES Dudley
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