Cllr Mead said he no longer trusts Nick Clegg
Stevenage councillor defects from ‘untrustworthy’ Lib Dems to Labour
Richard Young
Thursday, June 7, 2012
4:55 PM
A Lib Dem member of Stevenage Borough Council has defected to Labour because of the party’s “broken promises”.
John Mead has crossed the floor to the majority group, because the party has let down young people and families, he said.
The 49-year-old, who has represented the Manor ward since 2010, said he no longer trusts the party to “do the right thing”.
“I joined the Liberal Democrats because I thought they were a progressive party, now I know that I was wrong. The people I represent have been let down by Nick Clegg and his broken promises. The actions of Liberal Democrats in government show they have no claim to be on the side of families feeling the squeeze.
“Every Liberal Democrat candidate signed a pre-election pledge to vote against an increase in tuition fees, however in parliament they all voted to raise the fee cap to £9,000. This broken promise means young people in Stevenage could be priced out of going to university.”
He added the party has repeatedly supported Tory-led public sector cuts – including to police, and nurses at a time of damaging reorganisation of the NHS.
“In Stevenage and travelling around the country for my work I have seen the effect these cuts are already having on the most vulnerable. With prices going up faster than wages, people are worried about how they’ll make ends meet. Parents are worried about their children’s futures with one million young people out of work, and pensioners are having to pay more while millionaires are getting a tax cut.”
He added the austerity measures have pushed the economy into recession, while Labour’s plans for growth would create new jobs.
“Labour councils like Stevenage are working hard to deliver change even in tough times and protect families from the worst of the Tory-led Government’s cuts. I know I can do the most for my community as a Labour councillor.”
Labour leader Sharon Taylor said she was delighted to welcome an “excellent councillor” who shared the group’s concern over “too far, too fast” cuts hitting working families hard.
The move reduces the Lib Dem minority to two and increases the Labour group to 31. The opposition Conservative group has six members.
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8 comments
Patrick. I suspect that clr Mead along with the other town clrs are more worried about national politics , than the issues they are supposed to be committing there time and resources too.
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Derek Jordan
Friday, June 8, 2012
Patrick. I suspect that clr Mead along with the other town clrs are more worried about national politics , than the issues they are supposed to be committing there time and resources too.
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Derek Jordan
Friday, June 8, 2012
I am absolutely appalled at Cllr Meads actions, when I voted for him at the local elections in May, he never stated that he had any reservations in retaining his membership of the Libdems. If I had wanted a Labour local councillor, I would have voted for them. I think that the honourable thing for him to do is to resign and stand as a labour Councillor, I would say that he would never be voted in again as he is clearly untrustworthy. Shame on you Cllr Mead. You have mislead those you purport to represent, do the decent thing and resign.
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Julia Ball
Friday, June 8, 2012
I suspect, Derek, that most LD voters did not expect their vote to go to support a right wing Coalition government and may be this is J Meads thinking although he is quite capable to explain himself more.
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patrick newman
Friday, June 8, 2012
So he moves to a party which was largely responsible for causing the squeeze on families!
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Bernard Lovewell
Friday, June 8, 2012
My question(or rather my wondering) is, if party politics is his main concern. He must of been kidding those who voted for him in the 1st place . I know it is all but impossible to get in without being a member of t"he big 3 " but integrity seems to come cheap these days .
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Derek Jordan
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Derek you are welcome to stand for election as a genuine independent but you will be doing well if you get 50 votes. Cllr Mead clearly could not keep up the pretence and stress involved in supporting a party hardly distinguishable from a very nasty right wing Tory Coalition partner. My question is:- what took him so long.
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patrick newman
Thursday, June 7, 2012
I thought local councillors . Were doing it for the good of the community. Party politics should not be in local matters . Why can't they all just strive to get the best for the local people without the inter party bickering . Or do they just see it as a step to bigger things.
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Derek Jordan
Thursday, June 7, 2012