Southport Lib-Dems urged to adopt new slogan after “bone-shuddering defeat” in local elections

Southport Lib-Dems urged to adopt new slogan after “bone-shuddering defeat” in local elections

The scale of the Liberal-Democrat defeat in Southport in the recent local elections has left them looking “ramshackle” according to opponents.

The Lib-Dems lost four seats plus another sitting councillor in last week’s results, a performance which was described as a “bone-shuddering defeat” by their critics. Surprisingly though, the Lib-Dems have tried to pass the results off as proof they are now the number one political party in the constituency.

By adding up all the votes across the seven wards the Lib-Dems claim that in fact, they are now in pole position to re-take the seat in a general election. It’s an idea that has been comprehensively rejected by Southport Labour which took two seats from the Lib-Dems to return its first-ever elected representatives to Sefton Council.

Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Southport, Liz Savage explained:

” The Lib-Dems were pushed back into third position in last year’s general election and just lost four seats, plus another councillor who was forced by their internal politics to stand in another ward and lost. It was a bone-shuddering defeat in what has traditionally been a stronghold for them, namely the local elections. To try and spin such a performance into a claim they are now in the premier position to win in a general election is nothing short of ridiculous.”

In a critique of the local political landscape post-election posted on their website, Southport Labour states:

” For years Labour has had to endure local Liberal-Democrat taunts of “Labour can’t win here”. Local Lib-Dems would trot the slogan out in their leaflets, in press reports and anywhere they could think of. It was a glass wall that they built around Labour in Southport, desperate as they were to contain us…. now that glass wall is shattered. Our message is being heard.”

Pointing to the surge in support for Labour in the town over the last few years, it details how the Lib-Dems have always relied on an uneasy and unofficial local Lib-Lab pact with many Labour supporters to keep the Tories out locally. That pact was shattered though by the Coalition and the Lib-Dem’s participation in austerity which is at the root of much of the town’s current problems and has left many feeling deceived, says Southport Labour.

Liz Savage, who has nearly quadrupled Labour’s vote in the town in general elections since 2015, continues:

” Lib-Dem spin is being rejected by voters as losing so many seats shows, so it’s bizarre to see their latest claims. They have also now started telling Tories to vote for them to keep Labour out, which reveals not only how far we have come but how far they are prepared to go.”

” They are looking ramshackle and local people are increasingly examining the Lib-Dems and their lack of achievement here over the last 20 years or so.”

” Residents are also seeing through their constant misinformation. It seems that ‘Labour can’t win here’ has been replaced with ‘Lib-Dems can’t spin here’ now. Perhaps they need to adopt that?”