Labour councillor says MP should be “ashamed” over Truss and mini-budget support

19th October 2022

Labour councillor Greg Myers says town MP Damien Moore and the Southport Conservative group should be “thoroughly ashamed” over their support for Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget.

The government was forced into a dramatic u-turn with market responses to September’s mini-budget causing economic turmoil, and forcing newly appointed chancellor Jeremy Hunt to scrap many of the new proposals.

Now Norwood councillor Greg Myers has branded local Conservative representatives as “clueless” and called for apologies over their initial support for the now-cancelled economic measures.

Greg Myers told OTS News: “Damien Moore MP announced he was ‘thrilled’ by Liz Truss becoming Conservative Leader. I’d think he’s not so excited now. Even worse, when she released their devastating millionaire mini-budget he purred that it was ‘ground-breaking’. Instead, it broke the economy and the last remnants of Tory credibility I’d suggest.”

“Southport Conservatives were as enamoured as Mr Moore judging by their social media. Meanwhile, their Sefton Council Group Leader Cllr Mike Prendergast declared the new measures were ‘great news’ – despite numerous warnings of the damage their policies would do.”

“They should all be thoroughly ashamed. They were happy to see Truss’s vicious and vacuous political dogma come before people and pragmatism, playing with our lives and financial security.”

Damien Moore, MP for Southport, said: “It’s disappointing that while Conservatives in Government are standing up for hard-working local people, and doing all we can to support those who need it most, Labour in Sefton continue to neglect their duty to look after our town’s vulnerable children.

“The Council should stick to its brief and get Sefton’s children’s services out of special measures, and give our local children back their chance to have a happy and fulfilling childhood.”

Cllr Myers continued: “Their extreme Conservatism however very quickly hit the brick wall of economic reality but it’s the country that’s suffered for it and as usual, the rest of us are left paying for their mistakes.”

“They have though rapidly lost yet another Chancellor and been forced into a humiliating series of U-turns. Crucially the very platform on which Truss was selected by the Conservative Party to be their Prime Minister has been smashed.”

“Yet it seems they simply want to try to hastily construct another from the debris to launch Austerity Mk2 – all without even going to the country for a mandate. The Conservative cost of living crisis and their continuing chaos means we are all in for a rather bleak midwinter and longer.”

“All except bankers that is, as their new Chancellor is keeping that part of the old platform to remove the cap on their bonuses. Apparently, some things don’t change.”

“It’s abundantly clear though that the Conservatives now have no credibility, no integrity and no mandate – so we need a general election. Sadly, it appears they will put party before country once again and refuse to make that call.”

“It’s also clear that Damien Moore MP and his equally clueless Conservative cohorts locally should sincerely apologise to our communities in Southport and Sefton for their shameful part in backing and cheering on such a debilitating debacle. After such a failing, our residents deserve that at the very least.”