GEOFFREY Widdows’ letter was very strange (Election sees city painted red now, May 18).

There was no thanks for the votes he received as a Conservative candidate in Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward; no grace in electoral defeat, in stark contrast to his colleague Adam Sinclair.

He does not mention he was a defeated candidate and instead writes a letter blaming the electorate for his loss. He says “45 per cent of York’s proletariat voted”.

Turnout was 45 per cent across York, but just because the Conservatives did not make the gains they expected does not mean every voter supporting a range of political parties is therefore proletariat.

It is language like this we have come to expect from local Conservatives. After the General Election, the losing Conservative candidate for York Central said all Labour voters were on benefits.

I think he should be also aware Tory budget proposals that were accepted by the Liberal Democrats in February increased the debt position of the council beyond Labour’s rejected proposals.

If anyone is making ideological cuts, it is the Conservative-led Government and not a Labour administration which does not take office until May 26.

Coun James Alexander, Labour leader-elect of City of York Council.