Councillors defect to Liberals

Tom Wilde · 15-10-2007, 02:44 PM

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.

rjt · 15-10-2007, 02:48 PM

If I recall Tom wasnt Jeremey Thorpe MP for North Devon for many years? And Nick Harvey now?

The sucess of the Liberal Party has been due to concentrating on building up bases of support in specfic areas, I understand Liverpool is a good hunting ground for them as well.

It seems to me smaller partys do better when they target areas.

Englander 1 · 15-10-2007, 04:21 PM

Well done!

Tom I have got some photos of Steve at our conference, where can I send them to?...they might be of interest?

Tom Wilde · 16-10-2007, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjt

The sucess of the Liberal Party has been due to concentrating on building up bases of support in specfic areas, I understand Liverpool is a good hunting ground for them as well.

It seems to me smaller partys do better when they target areas.

I strongly agree with that. The first past the post voting system is really tough on smaller parties. The only realistic way to break through is to concentrate your efforts on a small area for a prolonged period. In that area, you can then hope to match the resources of the big parties, win some council seats and with time build up a good local reputation for representing the community.

To be fair, the Liberals started with an advantage: instead of having to start from zero and build up, they are a small fragment descended from a large, well-established party. The old Liberal Party pre-1988 was a federation of lots of local Liberal Associations. When the Liberals merged with the SDP in 1988, the federation was dissolved, but three of the local Liberal Association refused to join the new party and carried on the old Liberal Party instead. The point is that in their own areas they were quite strong, had long-established councillors, activists, organisation, a reputation and so on. It gave them a good start. Breaking out into new areas is presumably pretty tough, though, except as in the Devon case when they get a group of councillors defecting.

Tom Wilde · 16-10-2007, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Englander 1

Tom I have got some photos of Steve at our conference, where can I send them to?...they might be of interest?

Englander1, that's a kind thought - thanks!

However, I'm still very new to the Liberals and I'm not sure where you should best send them. The main email address given on the national website is: libparty@libparty.demon.co.uk

Alternatively, if you still have Steve Radford's contact details, I'd suggest sending the pics directly to him. He could always forward them on to whoever could make best use of them.

Percy the Poodle · 17-10-2007, 02:29 PM

Always nice to see small non-extremist parties do well

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjt

The sucess of the Liberal Party has been due to concentrating on building up bases of support in specfic areas, I understand Liverpool is a good hunting ground for them as well.

It seems to me smaller partys do better when they target areas.

A lesson UKIP never seems to learn

cassie · 17-10-2007, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Percy the Poodle

Always nice to see small non-extremist parties do well

A lesson UKIP never seems to learn

Ah! I see the poodle is cocking up his leg again!

rjt · 17-10-2007, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Percy the Poodle

Always nice to see small non-extremist parties do well

A lesson UKIP never seems to learn

Well I must admitt I was slow to learn it, when I was a member of UKIp I used to feel all seats should be contested but I have been persuaded otherwise.

Tom Wilde · 20-10-2007, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Percy the Poodle

Always nice to see small non-extremist parties do well

Hello Percy. Don't seem to have seen you on this forum for a long time - so welcome back!

I see we've both moved on from UKIP, with whatever regrets. What was it made you pick the English Democrats?

youngliberal · 21-10-2007, 08:36 AM

Well im a Liberal supporter (obviously!) and this move by europhile Liberal Democrats to move to a party advocating freedom of speech and opposing the European Union.

15-10-2007, 02:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
rjt Uber Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Aldershot Posts: 5,151	If I recall Tom wasnt Jeremey Thorpe MP for North Devon for many years? And Nick Harvey now? The sucess of the Liberal Party has been due to concentrating on building up bases of support in specfic areas, I understand Liverpool is a good hunting ground for them as well. It seems to me smaller partys do better when they target areas. __________________ Mr Delors said that he wanted the European Parliament to be the democratic body of the community, The Commission to be The Executive and The Council Of Ministers The Senate. NO! NO! NO! (Margaret Thatcher 30 Oct 1990) Ignore List: The Prophets of ST Al the Unelectable.

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15-10-2007, 04:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
Englander 1 Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: WARWICKSHIRE Posts: 372	Well done! Tom I have got some photos of Steve at our conference, where can I send them to?...they might be of interest?

21-10-2007, 08:36 AM	#10 (permalink)
youngliberal Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 17	Well im a Liberal supporter (obviously!) and this move by europhile Liberal Democrats to move to a party advocating freedom of speech and opposing the European Union.