Southport Conservatives are calling for Liberal Democrat’s to be honest and upfront

Southport Conservatives are calling for John Pugh, Ian Brodie Browne, Simon Shaw and other local Liberal Democrat’s to be honest and upfront about the splits in their local party.

 A letter has been received, apparently from last year’s Liberal Democrat Dukes Ward candidate, David Newman. He stood in Dukes last year as the Liberal Democrat candidate. The incumbent at the time, Tony Dawson, had been expelled from the Liberal Democrats, following allegations of improper comments towards a female member of the party. Therefore, Tony Dawson was not able to stand as a Lib Dem and had to stand as an independent and David Newman was approved by central office of the Liberal Democrats to stand in Dukes.

 In a somewhat extraordinary turn of events, David Newman has been asked to apologise by Southport Liberal Democrat’s for standing as a Liberal Democrat candidate and daring to stand against Tony Dawson, who was expelled from the party and was unable to stand as Liberal Democrat.

 Despite the allegations made against Tony Dawson and the fact he was expelled from the party, it appears that Councillors John Pugh, Iain Brodie Brown and Simon Shaw all wanted to support Tony Dawson rather than their own party’s candidate in Dukes Ward.

 Ainsdale Conservative councillor, Tony Brough said, “It’s astonishing that these deep splits in the local Lib Dem’s exist, they are divided and totally out of touch with what the people of Southport want, seeming to care more about petty internal squabbles than the serious business of local government.”

Cambridge Ward councillor, Mike Morris said, “The people of Southport really do deserve better, I think this year's Lib Dem candidate in Cambridge Ward, Mike Sammon, was originally due to stand in Dukes last year but didn’t in the end because of the Tony Dawson issue, does that mean Cambridge Ward is his second choice? For me the residents of Cambridge Ward will always be my first choice.”

Questions now have to be asked about the suitability of many local Liberal Democrat’s and their commitment to the people of Southport.

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