Labour fury as Wirral councillor defects to Conservatives

May 20 2009 by Liam Murphy, Heswall News

The group later released a statement saying that “as representative and vice chair on MerseyTravel, he received in the region of £25,000”.

Cllr Foulkes said: “He has acted in a duplicitous and underhand way.

“This morning, Cllr Knowles signed a declaration confirming that he intended to continue to support the Labour Group Whip and he intended to remain within the Labour Party.”

Cllr Foulkes said: “Cllr Knowles made it quite clear in discussions with the Leadership leading up to his defection, that his decision to go was directly linked to the fact that he was not given a place on the Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority this year at the group’s AGM.

“This is not a defection based on principle but a defection based on ego, or possibly on other reasons attached to his place on the MPTA. That is unforgivable.”

But the Conservative group said no inducements had been offered to or sought by Cllr Knowles.

The defection means Labour have 20 councillors, the same as the Lib-Dems, but they can still outvote, the Tories who have 25.

Last night, Wallasey MP Angela Eagle said people in Seacombe “are telling me they feel betrayed”, but Tory challenger Leah Fraser said it showed her party’s progress in the ward.