Cllr Barratt left the Labour party last September, when he criticised Keir Starmer for “sleepwalking into a Reform government” and has now joined the Lib Dem team running Stockport Council.
In the latest elections, Cllr Barratt campaigned for the Liberal Democrat Candidate, Cllr Niki Meerman in his ward in the local election, which saw the Labour party crash to just 5% of the vote down from 47% in 2024.
He has formally joined the Liberal Democrats as the best antidote to “divisive and simplistic politics”, whilst also criticising the failure of the Labour party and the Conservative governments to protect residents from rising costs. The two parties received around just 10% of the vote in Stockport, and won 2 and 0 seats respectively in May. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats stormed to taking over all control of the council, making history as the first group to do that in 15 years.
Leader of Stockport Council, Cllr Mark Roberts, said
“Joe is a fantastic community politician, I’ve worked with him closely as a fellow Werneth councillor for some time and he sees the Lib Dems as the best antidote to the political extremes that are taking over so much of our culture.”
“There are stark challenges that residents and the council alike feel. There is a political landscape where people are bombarded with false narratives and simplistic solutions to complicated problems, with a polarised politics of protest and populism the easy option that many choose to peddle. With Labour and the Conservatives languishing at 10% of the vote in Stockport, it’s clear that the old 2 party system is being rejected by the voters and the Lib Dems are the solution to the problem that the people across Stockport back.”
“We’re incredibly proud of the progress Stockport has made so far, and it’s a testament to the work we’re doing of shunning populist politics and taking difficult decisions that are for the best for Stockport.”
Cllr Joe Barratt said
“I have increasingly come to feel that my values and beliefs are better reflected in the Liberal Democrats than anywhere else, and that the most effective way to serve the people of Bredbury and Woodley is as part of a team that shares them.”
“I personally champion the core values of fairness, equality and opportunity that define the party. What has struck me most, is the way that Liberal Democrats have consistently delivered for residents locally in Stockport. They have been protecting important frontline services in the face of an incredibly challenging local government funding landscape and ensuring that the council continues to be a beacon of inclusion, tolerance and respect for all.”
“It was clear on the doorsteps in the last election that people are tired of the Labour & Conservative parties taking them for granted, having failed to protect people from rising costs and failing public services. It’s the Liberal Democrats’ that provide the alternative to divisive politics that only make the problems worse.”
Cllrs Mark Roberts, Niki Meerman and Joe Barratt
