South Wales Guardian Opinion

10:29am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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Sorry, did we miss something? The Labour Party gets its nose bloodied by disgruntled voters in the county council elections, yet somehow still ends up in joint overall control of our local authority.

The dust has finally settled following the fallout caused by May 1 - yet bizarrely the picture remains the same, despite the fact Labour now has just 11 members.

The carnage - which saw many Labour casualties - has led to Amman Valley councillor Kevin Madge being promoted to Deputy Leader as well as head of the Labour Group.

Yet in endeavouring to rally his diminished troops last week, a somewhat shellshocked Mr Madge couldn't helped sounding a little like a German general in 1918 - one more push and victory would be achieved.

The harsh truth of the matter is that Labour were taken to the cleaners on May 1 and only a cobbled-together deal with the Independents has enabled them to keep one hand on the reins - and the council's purse strings.

Guardian readers have not been slow in delivering their verdict. If this is democracy, they say, why bother voting in the first place?

Whatever your political colour it surely cannot be right that Plaid Cymru - a party with 30 seats - is effectively excluded from the administration of the council.

That is why a so-called''rainbow' coalition would be the most sensible and fairest way forward for Carmarthenshire.