Wednesday 20 February 2019

BRIGHTON TURNS BLUE

The exodus from Labour has resulted in one of the most rare defections - Labour to Conservative.  While the floor-crossing activities of local councillors doesn't make the national news, one of the latest has had a very significant effect on Brighton & Hove City Council.  Before today Labour had 21 seats and the Tories 20.  The defection of Labour's Anne Meadows to the Tory group this morning tips the balance the other way.

The Tories are now poised to take control of the council from what is now a minority Labour administration.  However, with local elections not far off they could wait for the outcome.

Local Labour MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, denounced Cllr Meadows - "This is nothing but a barefaced career move from Anne, she wasn't selected to be a candidate for Labour at the upcoming election, so she has betrayed the party for her own self preservation".  Quite right Lloyd, the opposite of your Parliamentary colleagues who are just so desperate to leave your disgusting party they are sacrificing their careers by becoming short-lived independents.

Cllr Anne Meadows (right) is welcomed by Cllr Mary Mears of the Conservatives

UPDATE

Tory MP Maria Caulfield just raised the Brighton defection in PMQs.  Watch Corbyn's face as she bemoans the anti-Semitism of his Momentum footsoldiers!