COMMENTS ON DECISION BY CLLR DANNY MCCARTHY TO JOIN LABOUR (Southwark Liberal Democrats)

Southwark Liberal Democrats <info@southwark-libdems.org.uk>

COMMENTS ON DECISION BY CLLR DANNY MCCARTHY TO JOIN LABOUR

January 10, 2007 12:00 PM

Commenting on the announcement by Cllr Danny McCarthy that he is to seek to join the Labour Group on Southwark Council, Cllr James Gurling, Chair of the Liberal Democrat Group on Southwark Council, said:

"Danny has been around long enough to know what the consequences of his decision to leave the Liberal Democrats and join the Labour Party would be."

"In every other Community Council area the Chair is from the majority Party locally. Borough & Bankside is no different and the Group voted unanimously to maintain this principle - a principle which he will find his new colleagues in the Labour group also stand by."

Cathedrals ward Councillor Adele Morris said:

"The residents of Cathedrals and Chaucer wards voted for Liberal Democrat councillors, not Labour. They have told me that they want a Liberal Democrat chair of the local community council. When Danny chose to leave the Liberal Democrats he publicly stated that he would not be joining the Labour Group and now he has changed his mind again. The residents need a community council chair they can trust."

Nick Stanton, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Southwark Council, said:

"This is an example of a rat joining a sinking ship. He is now applying to join a group that is directly opposed to so much of the manifesto he was elected on. Labour are imposing health cuts in Southwark and cutting legal aid for local people. Labour in Lambeth have shown that you cannot trust Labour not to flog off council housing stock."

"When he left the Liberal Democrat group, Cllr McCarthy promised to support the manifesto he was elected on less than a year ago. By joining the Labour Group he won't even be able to do that. The only honourable thing to do now is for Cllr McCarthy to resign and seek a new mandate from the people of Cathedrals Ward."