Two Labour councillors in South Oxhey have defected from Labour. The chairman of Three Rivers District Council has even gone as far to transfer is allegiance to the Lib Dems.
From Labour to the Lib Dems, I hear you ask?
Yes, I have got it the right way round. Despite the Lib Dems’ utter collapse in the polls, their leader’s continuing unpopularity and their failure to articulate the extent of their impact on the coalition, Cllr Ron Spellen and Cllr Phil Redshaw have gone against the tide and switched sides.
Defections are always good news in politics – they provide a opportunity to rubbish your opponents and highlight your own achievements as a party. And with the local elections fast approaching, Nick Clegg will be happy to welcome all the councillors he can get, because after May, he isn’t going to have very many left.
However, this particular defection is laced with bizarre details. Apparently, Cllr Spellen “received a letter from the Labour party saying I no longer fit the criteria for a Labour councillor” while Cllr Redshaw told the Watford Observer that “the Labour Party have refused to let me stand”.
Labour definitely come out of this worse. But it isn’t all good news for Clegg, unfortunately. Cllr Spellen said:
“I'm not moving because of the Government, I'm a local politician and I am motivated by doing what I believe is best for the people of South Oxhey."
That’s another one you’ve still got to persuade, then, Nick...
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