Paul Rowan should be organising the buses and trains taking Rochdalians to march and protest in London. Sitting on your ar*e in the Commons does nothing. A mass sit down in Westminster might open the governments' eyes.

   Simon could have done more to save these services himself but I accept that he's not our MP.

However, I do agree that Paul Rowen is not really demonstrating any leadership in turning Rochdale's fortunes around. I can't remember the last time I read a story where he actually did something for Rochdale other than make angry pronouncements about how unjust everything is.

   I suspect that Simon too is playing politics a bit on this one, but there is more than an element of truth to his comments.

The Rochdale Observer are running the risk of making Paul Rowen a martyr on this issue. Simon probably knows that Rowen's contemptuous way of working with the government is never going to win him any friends or influence in Westminster. Even Councillor Dearnley acknowledges this.

I know emotions run high on issues like this but it's time that a cold, objective evaluation of Rowen's effectiveness was considered.

He's making an almighty hash of the regeneration plans in Rochdale town centre for one. In the last few weeks I've seen articles in a number of national newspapers mocking our plans after it emerged that Rowen commissioned photos from out of town to try and promote us. Was he too ashamed of Rochdale? Jobs are being lost all over the place and he seems incapable of doing anything about it. Inward investment is not coming and we're being gradually left behind by other towns like Bury. I'm sick of reading sycophantic comments from other Lib Dems saying how hard Paul tries. I, for one, don't want an MP who tries hard. I want one who gets results.