Former Labour councillor completes ‘long journey’ to new home with the Lib Dems
Former Castle Ward Councillor Lee Clark, who served as Chair of Labour’s Hastings Borough Council Group for a number of years, has joined the Liberal Democrats.
“It’s been a long political journey since leaving the Labour Party in 2016,” said Mr Clark.
“The dark arts of Labour’s hard left which have resulted in the narrowing of its broad church, and its appeal to the wider public; to the continual dismal failure of Jeremy Corbyn to oppose Britain’s exit from the EU, has led me to the Liberal Democrats, where I can continue to fight for social justice, internationalism and an open, tolerant society.”
The dark arts of Labour’s hard left…
Mr Clark’s former Castle Ward opponent is Nick Perry, the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate, who welcomed Mr Clark, saying: “We are delighted to welcome Lee who is a thoughtful observer of the Hastings political scene. His move to the Liberal Democrats mirrors that of many former Labour supporters, locally and nationally.”
Mr Perry confirmed that he has been in discussion with other local politicians who are considering following Mr Clark’s example.
Mr Clark was a Castle Ward councillor from 2010-2018. He was elected as a Labour councillor before sitting as an independent, after he left the Labour Party in 2016.
Lib Dems and social justice? That would not be teh policies their MP’s voted for during the coalition? Or perhaps why the Lib Dems have said they will not stand in Rory Stewarts seat come the election, he supports leaving the EU. I suggest they are the same old opportunist of years go by tell us what you want and we will promise it.
Coalitions inevitably involve compromises on both sides. The following policies went from the 2010 Liberal Democrat manifesto into law during the Coalition:
– The lowest paid three million workers were taken out of income tax altogether
– The link between pensions and earnings, broken by Mrs Thatcher, was restored
– The pupil premium
– Free school meals for all infants
– Gay Marriage
– The world’s first Green investment bank (privatised by the Tories in 2017)
– The Green deal for energy consumption
– The charge for plastic bags which looks increasingly far sighted.
Tuition Fees? The Browne Report, commissioned by Labour before the 2010 election, would have allowed for US-level fees in a free market. Liberal Democrats insisted on a cap (£9,000) and that education should remain free at the point of use, raised the salary level at which loans start to be repaid and ensured that fees would be written off after thirty years.
There is currently a Labour-Liberal Democrat Government in Wales and the two parties were in Coalition for eight years in Scotland.
Talk about snakes and ladders – the public is not impressed by these politicians changing from one party to another…sign of a lack of confidence in themselves…good old Boris…he knows what we want and hopefully without further interference he will achieve it..