General councillors and other notable defections

[Tony Otim]

OK, I'm being a bit picky here, but maybe we could have another thread for councillors doing stupid things and/or being forced to apologise and leave this one for actual defections and changes of party?

[The Bishop]

I think boogs tried to kick off such a thread in the main section the other day. I think we should make use of it.....

[paulypaul]

Any idea where it is?

[greatkingrat]

vote-2012.proboards.com/thread/1522/councvillors-saying-daft

[paulypaul]

Mar 8, 2013 10:56:08 GMT greatkingrat said:

vote-2012.proboards.com/thread/1522/councvillors-saying-daft

Ta

[anthony]

Not a defection, yet; but Merton's Tory councillors falling out and one quitting the front bench, running to be leader (he lost by 1 vote when he did the same last year) www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/10277247.Senior_Tory_quits__Group_in_turmoil_over_leadership/?ref=nt

[leicester]

Another county cllr from the tories moves to UKIP www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/story-18356564-detail/story.html#axzz2Myw5FZP1
This time in Derbyshire not sure if its another its my only chance of re election defection

[bungle]

Mar 8, 2013 23:26:59 GMT leicester said:

Another county cllr from the tories moves to UKIP www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/story-18356564-detail/story.html#axzz2Myw5FZP1
This time in Derbyshire not sure if its another its my only chance of re election defection

On the contrary, boundary changes made her division a lot safer for the Tories with the import of Wingfield Ward. She'd have been favourite to hold it on the new boundaries even in the current political climate. Now if she splits the Tory vote Labour could easily sneak in here as their vote is pretty solid in the two other wards that make up the division.

She is quite high profile in the division so will pick up some personal votes too. She also lobbied the LGBCE to keep the name Heage in her division IIRC.

[Deleted]

a leading Human rights barrister quits the LD's over secret courts

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/mar/09/dinah-rose-quits-liberal-democrats?CMP=twt_fd

[Pimpernal]

PPC, high flyer and very bright prospect, etc Jo Shaw dramatically leaves the Lib Dems - from their Conference stage...

[Deleted]

here is the report and again about secret courts, surely something that no LD can really support ?

m.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/mar/10/rising-lib-dem-quits-over-secret-courts

[Pimpernal]

Mar 10, 2013 14:21:34 GMT @ianrobo said:

here is the report and again about secret courts, surely something that no LD can really support ?

presumably they can otherwise there wouldn't be a split over it?

[Deleted]

yes but it goes against the whole concept of being a liberal, it was not in the coalition doc and the party has no need to support it at all. I know we have illiberal dinosaurs on our side but there is no need for this. Sensitive information now can be ruled on by judges.

[Khunanup]

I'm confused by these people resigning their membership. By the conference vote it has been shown that the Party does not back these proposals and it is the leadership who are ignoring the Party (and indeed the President and deputy leader are opposing them). Unlike other parties, what the Party decides isn't what the leadership wants.

[Deleted]

so if it came to a vote on this how many LD's would vote for and against

it is not your party with issues about this, I bet Labour would be split and the Tories obviously have the libertrian right led by David Davies.

[Crimson King]

Mar 10, 2013 21:44:58 GMT Khunanup said:

I'm confused by these people resigning their membership. By the conference vote it has been shown that the Party does not back these proposals and it is the leadership who are ignoring the Party (and indeed the President and deputy leader are opposing them). Unlike other parties, what the Party decides isn't what the leadership wants.

Agreed, it was a similar logic kept me in the party (just) after the health bill fiasco - whatever the leadership's shenanigans the view of the party was clear - even if it could only be expressed in a roundabout way.

[anthony]

Mar 11, 2013 0:14:37 GMT Crimson King said:

Agreed, it was a similar logic kept me in the party (just) after the health bill fiasco - whatever the leadership's shenanigans the view of the party was clear - even if it could only be expressed in a roundabout way.

Indeed, and liberalism is bigger than a group of 50-ish MPs. I would also note that there was actually no division on Part II of the Bill at report stage, and home affairs bills are huge, cover multiple subjects and the subject of much negotiation, debate and compromise - even when you don't have a coalition - and some of that will also be tied in to other things the Government is or isn't doing. So I am fairly sympathetic to the idea that the Commons party couldn't realistically vote to junk the whole bill.

The Lords parliamentary grouping explicitly said in their report to conference, that although they recognised the party's policy, they did not have the arithmetic to achieve that (Labour officially support CMP in principle), and so instead worked to amend and add safeguards, rather than pointlessly voting against something that would then pass through unamended.

[Deleted]

again it comes down to red lines for some people. IT does not matter what 'safeguards' you put around it, if you believe the principle of secret courts is wrong, you should vote against it.

I have a feeling enough Labour (to their shame) would vote for it that it would pass despite LD voting against it There is no need for secret courts at all because evidence that is said to be security restricted can be heard in secret (with a jury of course) under present proposals now.

[anthony]

Mar 11, 2013 11:12:36 GMT @ianrobo said:

again it comes down to red lines for some people. IT does not matter what 'safeguards' you put around it, if you believe the principle of secret courts is wrong, you should vote against it.

I think this is similar to tuition fees - do you pointlessly vote against something and end up in a worse position, or compromise get the worst bits changed (try) and then vote in favour as the price of that?

I have my own views, but I respect the position of both points of view.

[Deleted]

Red lines mate, you either for or against it. So what if the numbers are against you, have a backbone and stand up against it. It is not a coalition policy you have no reason at all to support it .