Two more LibDem Councillors have been deselected this week according to local reports.
Kevin Firth has been deselected in Old Swan - where he topped the poll in 2004, apparently because he dared to question the leadership over their management of the Mathew Street debacle last year.
Ann Hines has been deselected in West Derby ward - I dont know why in her case.
Added to Beatrice Fraenkel that is three this time - and we already knew that Beatrice was deselected for being critical of the leadership.
I would rather be in our party where we can speak our mind freely in Labour Group if we feel we need to, but where we stand shoulder to shoulder as a group in public, than be a LibDem. They pretend to allow freedom of speech but actually throw popular councillors out of office for daring to criticise their leadership. And that is criticism in private, within their own meetings, not criticism in the newspapers.
Keep it up LibDems!
7 comments:
(scouseboy)Hopefully Labour will have a strong candidate in Old Swan, and win. That ward is special to me
Louise, I have to say...I think your comment regarding the Labour Group being democratic a joke! As a Labour councillor who stood down in 2004, I can assure you that it is not true. You know just as well as I do that if you dare to challenge Mr Anderson and his Ilk, your life will be made a hell and he will ensure things are made as uncomfortable for you as possible! The Lib-Dems are not the only party at fault on this one!
I was really disappointed at the deselection of Kevin Firth.I am a Labour supporter and a "Blairite" but as a voluntary community worker, I have to say that Kevin has worked very hard for Old Swan and has been an excellent local councillor.The Lib Dems will rue this decision as will many local people within Old Swan. Come May, I do not think either the Lib Dems or Labour will win this seat to the detrement of our community.
hello Peter
I dont know who you are, have we met? I didnt move to Liverpool until after the 2004 local elections.
We have 35 members in our group and we speak freely in our meetings. But then when we have had our say, we apply a whip and vote together on the issues.
I dont know what it was like when you were on the group, 4 years ago or more, there were obviously fewer members then and the leader was new to post.
But I can assure you that we dont deselect councillors because they might put up a leadership challenge!
We might deselect them if they were not pulling their weight, or were routinely voting against the whip, flouting group discipline etc, but not for being critical in internal meetings.
We had a great group meeting this evening and there was a lot of laughter and mutual support in with the serious stuff.
Things have obviously changed a lot since your time.
Anon - I am sure Kevin Firth will be pleased to read your positive comments.
I understand he has had a lot of messages of support since the night of the long knives.
I wonder if he will stand as an Independent, it must be tempting!
I heard it the two Turners who manouvered against Kevin, who, in fairness is a good councillor, but an arrogant, horrible little man.
It is rather entertaining to see them falling apart at the seams.
Firth has parliamentary ambitions apparently, so will not stand as an Ind.
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