Leader's Column July: Labour’s Partisan Cost-of-Living Approach is Playing Politics with People’s Lives

People tell us they want to see their council stepping up, coming together and taking action to support them through the cost of living crisis.

Sadly Southwark Labour rejected bold Liberal Democrat proposals to declare a Cost Living Emergency and freeze Council Tax to support residents now.

At the recent Council Assembly we put forward loads of really positive suggestions to help people through this extremely difficult time. Labour said “no” and put their party politics first.

As Southwark’s motto says “We must be United to Serve” to help people right now. Southwark Liberal Democrats will always do this.

We called for the Council to declare a “cost-of-living emergency” so helping with rising costs is made one of the Council’s top priorities.

We requested the council provide universal free school meals for secondary schools over the summer, we sought a commitment from Labour to freeze council tax for the next financial year, and demanded they stop using bailiffs to collect debt from residents.

Even Labour’s former cabinet member for schools, agreed at the assembly that the council should investigate extending secondary school meals provision. They still didn’t listen!

We think Labour aren’t going far enough, so our amendment built on Labour’s cost-of-living suggestions put took out cheap, outdated and tribal party politics. The reality is that pursuing this sort of politics is an injustice to the tens of thousands of our residents that are struggling right now. Residents demand and deserve better from their representatives.

In essence, we presented a cross-party approach to the emergency.

So, why did Labour vote down our amendment?

Sadly too many councillors think taking cheap swipes at the Liberal Democrats is more important than coming together for the cost-of-living emergency.

At the same assembly, Labour stuck to its allegiances again when it came to the London Mayor’s proposed bus cuts.

All of us agree that the cuts are largely due to a Conservative government playing political football with TfL’s funding packaging.

But, the Labour London Mayor is not blameless.

Years of his mismanagement has led to a transport black hole in the South of London and these cuts will consequently devastate Southwark.

For this reason, our bus cuts motion asked the council to campaign to the London Mayor for a halt to the potential service changes, among other proposals.

Southwark Labour, however, successfully amended our bus cuts motion to direct all campaigning to only the Tories instead.

It’s pathetic, disingenuous and irresponsible for Labour councillors to absolve their Mayor of any responsibility.

But, this is the same Southwark Labour who voted at the same meeting to keep their ‘golden goodbyes’. We’re the only council in the country that pay off disgraced councillors who break the code of conduct.  

It’s so unacceptable for Labour to repeatedly put party politics and looking after its own ranks ahead of standing up for residents.

This is all especially unnecessary when it is obvious that bi-partisan work delivers great results.

My Liberal Democrat colleague, Cllr Rachel Bentley, led our group’s call in June for the council to sign up to the Councils for Fair Tax Declaration. It was very welcome to see Labour agreeing to do so at the July council assembly.

We are delighted to see Labour listened as research shows most people want public money to be spent on companies that pay their share of tax.

It all goes to show, that it’s in residents’ interest for Labour to listen to this side of the town hall more often.

The simple truth is Labour do not have all the answers so they should stop acting like they do!