ConservativeHome's Local Government Blog

LibDems turning blue in Shepway

The LibDems are in crisis in Kent as just this month Cllr Peter Gane (pictured), Mayor of Folkestone Town Council, and Cllr Susan Wallace have defected from the LibDems to Conservatives.

They're not the first do so: Emily Sanger, Shepway District Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Folkestone Town Council, defected in late June, as did Folkestone Town Councillor Martin Salmon and Shepway District Councillor Anthony Dunning. Shepway District Councillor Susan Ashworth changed sides last September.

The current Shepway Council is now comprised of thirty-nine Conservatives, five LibDems and two "People Firsts" as a result.

William Hague welcomes latest defection from LibDems

The secretary of Wirral South Liberal Democrats was welcomed into the Conservative Party by William Hague last night:

"People are looking for change and they are realising that the only way to achieve that is through the Conservative Party.  Rob Earl is the latest in a long line of former Liberal Democrats coming across to the Conservatives."

Explaining his decision to join the Conservatives, Rob Earl said:

“It is now clear that only the Conservatives can replace this hopeless, dithering Government. I have been impressed by the changes being made to the Conservative Party and, here in Wirral, their refusal to do any kind of secret deal with Labour. Indeed, the decision by the Liberal Democrat councillors in Wirral to prop up this failing, two-star Labour Council was the final straw.  It’s time for change, not ‘more of the same’,” added Rob.

Jeff Clarke, PPC for Wirral South and also a former LibDem PPC, added:

"Today’s Conservative Party is more green; more family-friendly, and more committed to giving power to local people. We are a modern and moderate party that wants to improve the quality of life for everyone and believe in social responsibility, not state control. I’m delighted to welcome Rob and look forward to working with him here in Wirral."

A longstanding Labour councillor in Fleetwood has also defected this week.

Another day, another LibDem defection or two

The (first gay) Mayor of Richmond upon Thames, LibDem Cllr Marc Cranfield Adams, announced to the full Council last night that he had (re)joined the Conservatives.

GLA candidate for Richmond, Tony Arbour, who was present said:

"Like many other people in South West London he has become disillusioned with the gesture politics of the LibDems and is leaving a rapidly sinking ship and embracing the policies of Boris Johnson and David Cameron."

This comes as Janet Hedges, a LibDem councillor in Epping Forest, announces she is joining the Conservatives this morning, and the LibDem leader in Sedgemoor defected yesterday.

Sedgemoor LibDem leader joins the Conservatives

Danny Titcombe, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Sedgemoor District Council has joind the Conservative Party.  Cllr Titcombe has been unhappy with his old party for some time, both locally and nationally:

"I am very happy to have joined the Conservative group on the District Council and look forward to being able to do for Highbridge what I was elected to do. I can also send out an assurance to the residents of the ward of Highbridge that although my political allegiance may have changed, my commitment to the people of Highbridge has not. I will continue on in the same manner in which I have done for the last year and strive to build on successes already achieved."

Veteran Tory councillor and past mayor for four terms, Neville Jones said:

"I knew that Danny had been concerned about the Lib Dem stance on so many local issues.  They have always tried to take a negative stance instead of  welcoming moves to meet present day challenges, like the swimming pool, and their lateness in grasping the problem with the Walrow Railway Bridge. The Town Council welcomed Danny Titcombe's attitude and indeed only last year the Group nominated him to be the vice-chairman of the council's most influential Policy committee. I think he will be able to do his job much better for the people of Highbridge within the Conservative Group.  He will find a great welcome."

This increases the number of Conservatives on the district council to 36 out of 50 and leaves the Liberal Democrats with just three. He also joins the Conservative Group on Burnham and Highbridge Town Council, taking the Conservatives up to thirteen members, with the Liberal Democrats on four and Labour on one.

Defector savages LibDems as lacking "common belief, idea or value system"

Cllr Andy Sloan writes for today's Yorkshire Post, explaining why he has left the Liberal Democrats for the Tories:

"Once, I believed that the Liberal Democrat Party possessed a set of values and beliefs that were a genuine and real alternative to the Labour Party. I now realise that view was wrong.

Sadly, the Liberal Democrat Party possesses no common belief, idea or value system to bring them together. There is no sense of principle. There is no common philosophy that drives it. It stands for nothing but the re-election of its own representatives.

Believing and standing for nothing more than re-election of its own representatives manifests itself in a most unattractive manner. It results in lies and deception, a need and willingness to say anything and misrepresent everything.

Nationally, it breaks promises – the decision not to allow a vote on the European Union Treaty was inexcusable. Where I am a councillor in Hull, the same is true. The party could not implement recommendations of its own Independent Flood Review Panel, and continues to hide the truth of its spending plans from the public.

I stood as a Parliamentary candidate in 2005, and the Liberal Democrats national platform was "the real alternative". Looking back, it was a hollow platform then, but it means nothing now 100 days into Nick Clegg's leadership. The Parliamentary party provided no alternative on Europe and it consistently fails to provide an alternative to Labour on all major issues."

Read the full article here.

Defection of Respect councillor makes Conservatives the largest opposition in Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets Conservatives today secured the defection of a Respect councillor in Tower Hamlets, making them the largest opposition group on the council (with eight members).

 

The councillor is Cllr Ahmed Hussain and he currently represents Mile End East ward. This is a major boost to our GLA campaign in City and East, and  the parliamentary target seat of Poplar and Limehouse.

The Respect Party is a shadow of its former self following mass in-fighting.

Tower Hamlets is one of the poorest boroughs in the country - but its Council came top of the TPA's Local Government Rich List for having paying 27 civil servants over £100,000pa.

Photo in CCHQ, left-to-right: Cllr Peter Golds (Tower Hamlets Group Leader),

Cllr Tim Archer (Poplar and Limehouse PPC), Cllr Ahmed Hussain (former Respect councillor), Bob Neill MP, Cllr Phil Briscoe (GLA Candidate for City and East), and a representative of the Conservative Muslim Forum.

Conservatives get a toehold on Manchester Council

David Cameron will announce this afternoon, after speaking about the NHS, that a LibDem councillor in Manchester is joining the Conservative Party.

This is good news for Manchester, as the only Conservative councillor on the council they will offer a much-needed alternative voice. At the moment there are 61 Labour councillors, 34 LibDem, and 1 Green Party.

Whilst the significance of getting councillors in the northern city centre councils can be overstated by commentators (when there is a Conservative presence in the surrounding urban areas), this is still very symbolic, and encouraging news for Conservatives in the North West.

More details later....

3pm: The Manchester Evening News is reporting that the defection was engineered by Sajjad Karim, the MEP who defected to the Conservatives two months ago:

"The M.E.N. understands he was persuaded to jump ship by Saj Karim, the Euro-MP who made the Lib Dem-to-Tory switch in November.  That defection was also seen as a major blow for the Lib Dems - not least because Mr Karim was their only Asian parliamentarian.  Mr Karim said today: "This sends a very clear signal that the party is broadening its appeal and allowing people like him to feel comfortable in their natural home.""

This statement has been issued by North West Conservatives:

"Cllr. Faraz Bhatti, formerly a Liberal Democrat Councillor for Whalley Range, has today joined the Conservative Party.  Cllr. Bhatti is the first Conservative Councillor on Manchester City Council since 1996.  The 34-year-old legal executive will be welcomed by Conservative Party Leader David Cameron at Manchester Town Hall at 1530hrs.

David Cameron said:

"I am delighted to welcome Faraz Bhatti.  Today, Faraz is showing that our Party is the true home of progressive politics.  We stand for extending opportunity and decentralizing power to stronger families; a more responsible society and a safer, greener Britain. For the first time in 11 years, we now have a Conservative on Manchester City Council.  I look forward to working with Faraz and our Conservative activists in Manchester to tackle crime and improve the quality of life for people in Manchester.”

Cllr. Faraz Bhatti said:

“David Cameron has brought the Conservative Party back to the centre ground of British politics.  Like me, he believes in spreading opportunity and giving people a real say over their own lives.  Across the country, only the Conservatives can be the change that Britain needs. Here, in Manchester, people are crying out for change.  The ‘Punch and Judy’ politics of the current parties is not in the best interests of this city.  Manchester needs a real opposition to question the decisions of the Labour Council. The Liberal Democrats have, I’m afraid, become inward looking and too protective of their own positions in the Town Hall.”

Rob Adlard, Chairman of Manchester Conservatives, said:

“I am be delighted to welcome Faraz to Manchester Conservatives.  He has a great political future and I know he shares our views on many issues facing the City.  For too long, the Liberal Democrats have failed to provide the alternative to Labour, not least on the issues that matter to people in Manchester, such as the Congestion Charge, which we oppose.  Faraz’s decision is a further sign of the renewal of Manchester’s Conservative Party, led by a new generation of young people, committed to this City.”