Victim of Formality

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The vote appears to be the latest manifestation of grassroots Euroscepticism. Although no reason was given for the proposal to “de-twin”, Lib Dems say it stems from a visceral Tory hatred for the European Union. Two other rightwing councils – Doncaster, south Yorkshire, and Wallingford in Oxfordshire – have in recent years also voted to kill off twinning arrangements. … Bishop’s Stortford’s Conservative leader, John Wyllie, denied this. He claimed the council ended links with the continent because of “lack of interest”. The twinning committee would continue but the council would no longer be involved, he said. He admitted he had missed out on trips to Friedberg and Villiers-sur-Marne when he was mayor, but joked: “I’m not bitter and twisted.” Asked whether Euroscepticism lurked behind the decision to dump the Europeans, Wyllie was indignant. “It had nothing to do with that. This is just typical Lib Dem rhetoric. They are playing party politics,” he said. He added sarcastically: “It’s nice to see that they [the Lib Dems] have their finger on the pulse. People are losing their jobs in this town and all they care about is twinning.