SO Mr Middlemass blames his election defeat on the national issues regarding the Labour party.
Mr Middlemass should take a look at the way Runcorn as a town has been destroyed over the last 10 years.
The town centre has been a mess for years, finally in the process of development, but nothing more than a take-away inhabited centre with no shops and no prospect of attracting back shoppers.
The council has a strong favouritism for Widnes and its creation of a so-called Halton.
Nothing was done to help the town's football team, yet all the councillors were soon quick to attend the banquets when the team got to Wembley and where quick to bail out Widnes RLFC with the purchase of their ground.
Run down new town housing areas with soaring anti-social behaviour issues and crime. Supporting police detention centres in the town.
The list goes on.
The defeat of key Labour seats in Runcorn is hopefully a major step forward, let's hope that Tyrell, Dave Cargill and McDermott, all follow suit in the next elections, as their goal is not for helping Runcorn but for moving the town towards Merseyside's 51st state.
If they want to be part of Merseyside, then I suggest they move back there and let Runcorn establish itself as Runcorn once again.
Also, it was interesting to note the councillors attending the Euro Championships in Portugal, even buying their own match tickets.
It would be interesting to know who paid for their travel and accommodation?
A concerned Runcornian,
via email
