The Liberal Party is apparently on a roll in Devon. Last month, three (out of eight) LibDem councillors on Torridge District Council defected to the Liberal Party, and have now established a recognized group on the council:
Liberal Party Press Release
Torridge District Council - Councillors & Political Groups
As well as these three new district councillors in Torridge, the Liberals have four long-serving city councillors in Exeter, giving them a total of seven at that level in the county as a whole. The new arrivals (and two other activists who defected at the same time) are now working to re-establish a constituency Liberal Association in Torridge.
Two prominent features of the political landscape in Devon and Cornwall seem to be a strong historic attachment to liberalism and an equally strong streak of scepticism about the EU. At one time UKIP had five district councillors in Devon, which should have been a great base to build upon, but the opportunity was missed and now it has none. Its new 'hard-line' policies on immigration and asylum are also likely to be regarded with some suspicion among liberal-minded folk in the county. Happily the neo-nazi BNP has no councillors and very little support in Devon, despite desperate attempts to pretend otherwise.
The Liberal Party, by combining euroscepticism and liberalism, is very well-placed to loosen the LibDems stranglehold on the county, and hopefully will now proceed to do so.
Quote:
"The Liberal Party is winning back some of its historic political territory in north Devon" said Councillor David Morrish spokesman for the Devon Liberal Party when he welcomed into Liberal Party membership 5 former members of the Liberal Democrats in Bideford. They include three members of Torridge District Council where they have established a recognised group on the Council. All three are also members of Bideford Town Council. The councillors are Caroline Church and brothers Tony and Simon Inch.
Plans have been made to reestablish a constituency Liberal Association. A membership drive has also been launched to recruit the many former Liberals in the area who are believed to be disillusioned with the Lib Dems. The LibDems lost their parliamentary seat to the Conservatives at the last general election. Recent polls have shown a further fall in support for the LibDems in the South West. "There is potential here for us" said David Morrish.
There is already established Liberal Party constituency organisation in other areas of Devon, Exeter, Tiverton and Honiton.
Issued by Devon Liberal Party, 38 Birchy Barton Hill, Exeter. EX1 3EX. 4th September 2007.
|