Another Cornish Lib Dem councillor quits

Cllr Graham Walker has resigned from the Lib Dem group on Cornwall Council to become an independent.

His objections are over education policy.

The Western Morning News reports:

Mr Walker warned that a policy in favour of academies, which now educate a third of Cornish children, were leading to a "two-tier system" which lacked local accountability, and said: "How does taking money from all Cornish schools and giving more of it to the highest performing improve educational standards overall?"...

He also criticised the Government's award of £700,000 to private St Michael's faith school, to set up a free school in Camborne, when "other schools in the area have had their capital budgets cut by 60 per cent or more and have 200-plus spare places".

Ironically Cllr Walker is now in alliance with the Conservatives as the council is run by a Conservatives/Independents coalition.

Only last week another Lib Dem councillor quit his party - Cllr Chris Pascoe left over the pasty tax.

Cornwall has six MPs - three of whom are Lib Dems - each with small majorities over the Conservatives.