Runcorn Lib Dem rebel accuses old party of ‘selling itself’ in coalition

Jul 22 2010 by Mark Smith, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

Former Liberal Democrat councillor for Windmill Hill in Runcorn accuses old party of ‘selling itself’ in coalition

A FORMER Liberal Democrat councillor who left the party in protest against its alliance with the Tories has spoken out for the first time.

Cllr Mike Shepherd has represented Windmill Hill for two and a half years but said he had no hesitation in ditching his Lib Dem membership when Nick Clegg’s party chose to form a coalition with the Conservatives.

Mr Shepherd – a former chairman of Halton Voluntary Action who was honoured by the Queen on Tuesday for his charity work – accused the party of ‘selling themselves’ and said he was standing up for what he believed in.

He told the Weekly News: “I made the decision because I didn’t feel the people of Windmill Hill – the most deprived ward in Halton – had given me a mandate to deliver a Conservative manifesto, or Mr Clegg for that matter.

“Already we’ve seen funding cuts and school cuts and I just wasn’t prepared to put my name to it.

“So far the feedback from people in Windmill Hill has been positive.”

Mr Shepherd is now the borough’s only independent candidate and plans to run on his own when he is up for election in 2012.

He added: “Sometimes politics is about standing up for what you believe in.”

Cllr Mike Hodgkinson of Halton’s Liberal Democrats said: “Some of our policies have already been implemented, including raising the start point for paying income tax, a £2.5bn bank tax , and raising capital gains tax.

“Certainly there have been cuts but the Labour Party has not explained how it would start to balance the books.

“During the election campaign Nick Clegg said that we would consider forming a coalition with either the Labour orŠConservative parties if no party had an overall majority.

“As only a coalition with the Conservatives provided an overall majority, it was the only realistic coalition option. Š

“We could have sat on the sidelines, but we would have had a minority, unstable Government at a time when decisive decisions to solve the country’s economic problems were needed.”