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Richard Britton, who stood as Conservative candidate in Offerton, Stockport in the May 2016 local elections, has resigned from the Conservative Party and joined the Liberal Democrats.

“I am now convinced that the Liberal Democrats offer the most constructive and positive platform to argue for progressive liberalism,” Richard said. “A much less progressive and more right-wing element has come to dominate the Conservative Party.”

Dr Richard Britton is a writer and academic, having gained his PhD in religions and theology from the University of Manchester in 2014.

Leader of Stockport Council Liberal Democrats, Cllr Iain Roberts, welcomed Richard into the party. “As the Conservative party moves to the right, and Labour remains trapped in internal warfare, we are seeing more and more people come to the Liberal Democrats.”

“Under Tim Farron’s leadership, the Liberal Democrats are the only party standing up for a liberal, outward-looking Britain,” Iain added. “Richard is one of more than 12,000 new members who have joined the party since the EU Referendum and I look forward to working with him.”

Stockport Liberal Democrats won more seats than any other party in the May local election and campaigned for the UK to remain in the EU.

 

Statement from Richard Britton

I never thought I would be writing this. After much careful thought, and for a variety of reasons, I have left the Conservative Party and joined the Liberal Democrats.

I realise some in my former party may feel deeply betrayed by this, but I am following my heart and trying to remain true to myself and my principles, and be honest with everyone. Unfortunately some feel I should have put the Conservative Party before my beliefs and what I think is best for the local area and the country. This assumption is a huge error of judgement by these people.

One reason for my defection is that in the lead up to the referendum and afterwards, a much less progressive and more right-wing element has come to dominate the Conservative Party. The Conservative contribution to the Leave campaign was also, in my opinion, second only to UKIP’s in terms of its inaccuracy and misleading nature. It now seems plain that this right-wing faction will either provide the new leader of the party, or indeed exert huge influence on whoever else does. In addition to this, I am dismayed at how some of the Leave misinformation has been propagated at a local level within the Conservative Party.

My main reason, however, is that I am now convinced that the Liberal Democrats offer the most constructive and positive platform to argue for progressive liberalism. As my old friends would no doubt testify, I was more conservative in my youth, but as I have grown older my views have become more diverse and mixed. I now realise that the Liberal Democrats best embody my values and principles, which are essentially liberal and social democratic.

I am incredibly excited for the future, and I really look forward to working with the Hazel Grove and Stockport Liberal Democrat team to help shape a more inclusive and progressive future for Stockport and for the country as a whole.

Following the publication today of a major report that suggests the Northern Powerhouse could be just ‘smoke and mirrors’, Liberal Democrats have called for the government to be frank and honest with the North West region about its future plans.

Cllr Mark Hunter, Deputy Leader of the Lib Dem group on Stockport Council and a deputy portfolio holder on the GM Combined Authority, said he was concerned that the whole Northern Powerhouse project could be dead in the water following the fall out from the EU referendum.

“David Cameron and George Osborne were the prime architects of this policy. With them both likely to depart their respective roles in government, there is now a huge question mark about its future,” said Mark.

“After the Referendum vote, we are already seeing foreign investors pull back from the North. Should the widely-predicted economic slump come about, there will be less money for the Government to invest too.”

Cllr Hunter fears a double-whammy of weak leadership and a weak economy will kill the Northern Powerhouse project before its even got out of the starting blocks.

“Where we should have clear policy we have a massive void. In my view, the wider support among Conservative MPs for the whole Northern Powerhouse concept was only ever skin deep. Without the influential backing of both Cameron and Osborne, there must be huge doubt about political support from the government moving forward.

“This would be a good time for Conservative MPs in the North West to speak up for our region and to re-iterate their support for this important project – without it, we stand to lose millions in potential investment at the very time our fragile economic recovery is, thanks to Brexit, once again under threat,” said Cllr Hunter.

At the Full Council Meeting last night, Group Leaders agreed to reaffirm the Pledge to Oppose Discrimination in Stockport first signed in April 2014.

Cllr Iain Roberts, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, said: “I am proud that under Liberal Democrat control, and in the face of increasingly divisive campaign methods being used by some extremist groups at the time, the then Group Leaders all signed up to our pledge in 2014.

“In the light of the tragic death of MP Jo Cox during the EU Referendum campaign, and in the light of the reports of an increase in racially motivated hate crimes following the result, we are proud that Stockport Councillors will re-affirm the pledge through the current Group Leaders signing up to it once again.

“As the Group Leaders said two years ago, Stockport Council has always been a beacon for democracy and freedom of political expression. There can be no place in our democratic process for those who seek to incite or encourage racial hatred, prejudice and discrimination between others, whether that is done blatantly or covertly. This message is especially important as we work through the consequences of Brexit.”

The Liberal Democrats have welcomed the 5,000 new members who have joined the party since Friday – more than a thousand a day.

“Stockport voted to Remain and the Lib Dems led the campaign. We’ve been inundated with support since the referendum,” said Cllr Iain Roberts, leader of the Lib Dems on Stockport Council.

“The Lib Dems are the only party committed to a future for Britain at the heart of Europe. While the two big parties fight over who should lead them, we are fighting for a caring, compassionate and outward-looking Britain, whether or not we are part of the EU.”

Nationally the Liberal Democrats have announced that they will fight the next election with a manifesto commitment to take a pro-European approach.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron MP, said: “Naturally we respect the result of the referendum, but Brexit will hit livelihoods, homes and jobs. As the Brexit camp renounce their promises on the NHS and immigration before the slogans have even been peeled off their battle bus, it is now clear that the British people were told lie after lie.

“We have always believed our economy and place in the world is stronger in Europe and it is only right that we offer that as a choice to people at the next general election – whenever that might be.”

If you agree with us, why not join us? You can do so here.

Statement on the EU Referendum result from Cllr Iain Roberts, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Stockport Council

The people have spoken and the UK will now start the process of leaving the European Union. There must be no talk of delay, nor of a u-turn: the decision has been made.

I am immensely proud of the role the Liberal Democrats have played in the referendum campaign. As is so often the case, the media ignored us but where we made our voices heard on the ground, in our communities, we made a difference. Against the national trend, the people of Stockport voted to remain in the EU.

Whether a Remain campaign with more of Lib Dem leader Tim Farron and less of David Cameron would have had a different outcome we can only speculate, but I am absolutely certain it would have been a more inspiring campaign that would have better connected with the people of Britain.

So what next? The Prime Minister has failed and is resigning. The money markets are terrified. The Leave campaign has made promises to the British people they will struggle to keep. And the Liberal Democrats have never been needed more.

Never have we needed more a party that looks outward, not inward. A party that sees the best in people, not the worst. A party that believes our future lies in playing a full and active part in the world, not in retreating behind the barricades of a mythical Little England that never was.

The Liberal Democrats have an important job to do over the coming years and the fate of our country and its people relies on our success. The Referendum was not of our choice but when it came we did not shirk and we did not shrink. We fought with every fibre of our being for our positive vision for Britain and we will continue to do so.

I invite everyone who shares our vision to join us today and to get active in the fight for our country – Britain needs the Liberal Democrats like never before and the Liberal Democrats need you.

Cllr Iain Roberts
Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Stockport Council

Stockport’s Liberal Democrat Group have launched a campaign to put pressure on the government to properly fund adaptations at railway stations to ensure that they can be accessed by all.

A motion to be debated at Stockport’s next Full Council Meeting calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to reconsider proposals which will see half of the funding for adaptations due to be spent in the current period pushed back until 2019-24.

This means not only will less be spent now but also fewer adaptations may be delivered in total by 2024. This will affect people with a permanent physical disability and also parents with pushchairs, those suffering a short-term injury and those who simply struggle to use stairs for whatever reason.

Cllr Laura Booth, who lost a leg as a child and regularly needs to use a wheelchair, said: “It is over twenty years since the rights of disabled people were passed into law, yet despite being one of the world’s richest countries, many people cannot use their local railway stations.

“The UK rail network still has a long way to go to improve accessibility, so it is very concerning to see the recommendation within the Hendy review to cut by 50% the ‘Access for all’ funding.”

Cllr Geoff Abell, who represents Stockport Liberal Democrats on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: “Transport for Greater Manchester have shown how accessibility for all can be achieved in the design of the Metrolink system.

“Stations in Stockport such as Bredbury, Heaton Chapel, Reddish North, and destination stations such as Manchester Oxford Road, all have stepped access to at least one platform, making them inaccessible to many people. We are calling for action to increase spending on accessibility, not cut it.”