So a Lib Dem Councillor has defected to Labour today.
I am not one of those who thinks all defections are bad. In some cases people genuinely wrestle with their concience and it is a slow and painful process. These people on the whole defect quietly.
What sticks in my craw is when someone callously plans an event, deceiving a lot of innocent bystanders on the way.
Today Beatrice Frankel tells us that she decided to defect in January. Its obvious to me that she waited till today to create a media stunt. But in between January and today she has e mailed committed party members claiming to want to carry on being involved, come to meetings etc. What on earth are they to think now? I have just had to spend some time with one elderly gentleman who is deeply upset that not only was he lied to, she could not even be bothered to contact him personally to explain what she was doing. I suppose talking to the "little people" is a bit much when you have a date with the Liverpool Echo!
Now I have no problem with Beatrice joining the Labour party. I have known for some years that she was moving that way. What I have a problem with is the way she has disregarded people's feelings (not mine I am pretty shockproof these days) in order to advance herself.
Interestingly she told the Roger Phillips programme that she will be a Labour candidate in May. Not in Cressington, she says, as there is already a candidate.
I wonder where then as I would imagine most wards have a Labour candidate already, and those that don't would involve the sort of work that would not appeal. So if you are a Labour candidate I recommend you speak to your leader today to make sure it is not you who is in the firing line.
8 comments:
Unfortunately many defections in politics are for personal gain. Usually the scorn from the former party is sectarian, but if the decision was a genuine political principled change of mind, perhaps the new party should be a little embarrassed at the fickleness (or former ignorance) of the defector too.
Presumably you were quite happy with the Liberals receiving people from the Tories, notably Eddie Clein and Ron Gould.
Given that the party in Liverpool seems to bear little resemblance to the party nationally I think you're all guilty of defection from the Lib Dems.
Ridiculous attack/cheap shot on someone who has served for many years, if they want to change their views let them, at least its political reasons why she's moving,
we could do with more politics and less" campaigning"- sick to death of councillors or campaigners wanting to be loved and arent i fantastic for getting a drain unblocked or some such thing.
Lib dems have always been frightened of true political debate, last weeks antics in the commons is proof if you ever needed it- what a rabble
Dear anonymous
My comments are not re people defecting per se - I know that happens. They are about the manner of defections. I don't have any knowledge of the manner of Eddie and Ron's move to the Lib Dems.
Dear Observer,
I am afraid it is not just because of her views that the Councillor defected - there were a whole bundle of things she said she motivated her.
I actually do not query her right to change party and to change her mind. What i object to is the manner of doing it. It is just not on to lie to elderly party members about your commitment and then hurt them deeply.
It was clearly very well planned from the time she was de-selected! She wanted to make maximum impact and she did - to a fashion. Lets get it right, she attended very few meeting and never stayed for the duration of them and seemed to be in it for what she could get. She has joined the right party for wjhat she wants. No doubt she will be Cllr Ben-Tovims replacement.
Oh joy of joys. We are the lucky people of Kirkdale who have now being given the opportunity to educate Beatrice
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