Labour has confirmed its candidate team in Southport for the local elections on May 3rd. The deadline for nominations was 4pm today and Labour will contest each of the seats up for election in the town's seven wards.

The party has had a resurgence of support in Southport in recent years, nearly quadrupling its vote in general elections since 2015. Last year it displaced the Liberal Democrats as the main opposition to the Conservatives in the town, coming second for the first time since 1966 and with it's best ever vote here.

The local elections on May 3rd are its first big test since and the party hopes to make local political history again by gaining its first elected Sefton councillors in the town.

Liz Savage, Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Southport, welcomed the news saying that the candidates are committed to the local community and to fighting for funding for Southport and the local authority:

" Local services have been severely affected by the brutal cuts brought in by the Liberal Democrats and Tories. The libraries closed, the children’s services being reorganised, the local amenities that have suffered; potholed roads, all that and more is all down to those cuts."

"Then there's the problems at our hospital and the huge losses in police officers, PCSO's and support staff and the rise in crime in the region too. Ask yourself a simple question, does Southport feel a better or safer town in the last eight years as a result of all those cuts?

The Lib-Dems and Tories try and blame Sefton for Southport's problems but it's misdirection and little more than a back-alley scam. Sefton did not make those cuts, it just suffers under the burden of them."

"To add insult to injury, the bill for those drastically reduced services and police is increasingly being pushed to you, the council tax payer, as central government offloads its responsibilities. So you are paying more for far less."

"It's a bigger and more unfair picture than even that though as there have been tax breaks for the wealthy while those austerity cuts have occurred and while local families struggle in increasing numbers. So the rest of us pay more for less as the rich and corporations pay less though having more. Does that seem fair?"

Labour claims that their opponents, despite making the cuts, are also the first to complain about the consequences of them in an attempt to make political capital. Liz Savage explains:

"Crime; anti-social behaviour; tough decisions over services; decline; they like to make noises about such problems but stay resolutely silent about their role in them. Locally they also prefer to constantly squabble with Sefton instead of working with it for the good of our town. They offer no vision for Southport, only division for Southport."

"We want to see councillors who want to build bridges with our neighbours, not burn them and who know that we have to work with Sefton and the Liverpool City Region as the engine to get Southport moving again, not stall it with constant pointless bickering about problems that they themselves have caused."

"They hope that by creating a "them and us" attitude locally that people will fall for their tricks and fail to see who has really blighted our town."

The Labour politician also pointed to a string of recent successes, which she says proves Labour can get things done locally that the other parties with their less constructive approach simply cannot:

"Our recent assistance to the Kew Park campaigners helped secure a £30,000 guarantee from Sefton Council to save the park, despite bitter opposition by the local Liberal-Democrats. We've also helped manage to ensure the return of 30-minute parking to help local businesses along with Southport BID, something the other parties were simply unable to achieve."

Our candidates and members have been busy with community action projects such as cleaning beaches, weeds from thoroughfares and helping residents clear their clutter in Norwood. We can do more and will do more if we get councillors elected.

Our two current councillors actually crossed over from the Liberal Democrats in large part because they were so tired of the negativity and lack of a constructive approach that the Lib-Dems increasingly displayed. Our candidates will fight for their community and for more funding for our town and local authority."



Photo caption- group candidates -
From left, Labour's ward candidates are:
Janet Harrison -Meols. Sahar Dehghani-Berenji - Dukes. Janis Blackburne - Kew. Danny Burns -Birkdale. Mhairi Doyle MBE - Norwood. Frank Hanley - Ainsdale. Steve Jowett -Cambridge.

Instead of attacking the other parties, why can't you just tell the electorate what you're going to do for us, one small paragraph is not enough.

In 29 years of living in Southport, I've only had 2 pieces of literature from Labour, both in the last 12 months and I've only seen 1 Labour councilor.

We'll see what happens over the next month and lets see what I receive through the door, and who turns up at my door. On past performances, I won't be holding my breath for a prospective Labour councilor.

Originally Posted by Tentill4

Instead of attacking the other parties, why can't you just tell the electorate what you're going to do for us, one small paragraph is not enough.

In 29 years of living in Southport, I've only had 2 pieces of literature from Labour, both in the last 12 months and I've only seen 1 Labour councilor.

We'll see what happens over the next month and lets see what I receive through the door, and who turns up at my door. On past performances, I won't be holding my breath for a prospective Labour councilor.

Absolutely! Action speaks louder than words.

Telling the electorate “what they’re going to do for us”, wouldn’t fill one small paragraph.

Originally Posted by justbecause

Telling the electorate “what they’re going to do for us”, wouldn’t fill one small paragraph.

Agree on the dislike for negative politics but it'd probably be a much longer paragraph than what the Lib Dems once you take away the noise, "the slams" and the empty "calling for", have done for us over the last 20 years at Parliament and local level other than very generous pensions and donations into local party funds.

I don't particularly feel aligned to either the Tories or Labour party but do feel that if the Lib Dems were going to achieve something for Southport they'd have done it by now so why give them any more time to create noise and be so divisive. They aren't even nice to each other with not one Lib coming out to thank their former leader despite two stories about her stepping down, probably shows the splitting of the party given the falling out with Cllr Dawson who'd rather Southport have a Tory MP than Cllr Maguire which allegedly led to his suspension.

Anyone know where there's a list of all the candidates standing for a particular ward? Can't find it on the Sefton site. Obviously, I won't be voting Liebore... (or LibDum) but I'd like to know if there's any slightly less hideous choice in my ward.

Originally Posted by Tentill4

Instead of attacking the other parties, why can't you just tell the electorate what you're going to do for us, one small paragraph is not enough.

In 29 years of living in Southport, I've only had 2 pieces of literature from Labour, both in the last 12 months and I've only seen 1 Labour councilor.

We'll see what happens over the next month and lets see what I receive through the door, and who turns up at my door. On past performances, I won't be holding my breath for a prospective Labour councilor.

Bit of an odd comment to say the least... the last six paragraphs are not only about what it will do but what is has been doing recently... so it seems you have selective eyesight. Might explain why you say in nearly 3 decades you've only had 2 pieces of literature... obviously been a lot more put out than that during that period.

Originally Posted by dav

Anyone know where there's a list of all the candidates standing for a particular ward? Can't find it on the Sefton site. Obviously, I won't be voting Liebore... (or LibDum) but I'd like to know if there's any slightly less hideous choice in my ward.

Well, after the Tories there's UKIP... can't see you being a Green.

Originally Posted by said

Absolutely! Action speaks louder than words.

...and living here counts a lot more than it does in Chester Marvin.

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

Bit of an odd comment to say the least... the last six paragraphs are not only about what it will do but what is has been doing recently... so it seems you have selective eyesight. Might explain why you say in nearly 3 decades you've only had 2 pieces of literature... obviously been a lot more put out than that during that period.

Lobourite eh.....

"We've also helped manage to ensure the return of 30-minute parking to help local businesses along with Southport BID, something the other parties were simply unable to achieve."

Something Labour took away to begin with.

"Our candidates and members have been busy with community action projects such as cleaning beaches, weeds from thoroughfares and helping residents clear their clutter in Norwood."

Something the other parties do as well, except they don't put their hands in their own pockets to fund skips, thereby taking revenue away from the council.


+ I'll guarantee the amount of literature I've received is correct, so instead of paying for skips, perhaps spend a bit more on printing. Also, shoe leather doesn't cost that much, so perhaps I may this year see someone on my doorstep.

I make my judgement on what I read on what people are going to do for my area, if there's no paperwork, they don't get a look in and if they b**ch and moan about the other parties, they don't get a look in..

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

Well, after the Tories there's UKIP... can't see you being a Green.

You're right, I'd never vote Green (the colour of the gullible) :-)

I was hoping for a bit of interest. UKIP is dead, Momentum Labour is insane, the LibDems are useless, and the Tories won't come close in my ward...

Maybe I should stand next time. Fancy being my agent Whizzy?

Originally Posted by dav

Anyone know where there's a list of all the candidates standing for a particular ward? Can't find it on the Sefton site. Obviously, I won't be voting Liebore... (or LibDum) but I'd like to know if there's any slightly less hideous choice in my ward.

List is now up here:

https://www.sefton.gov.uk/your-counc...elections.aspx

Interestingly enough:

- Jo Barton has decided to move to Dukes Ward, probably pushed out by Dan Lewis who must have decided he doesn't want to represent the people of Norwood ward
- Dan Lewis has turned his back on Norwood road after months of running clinics in Meols ward to stand there, previously standing as PCC for Formby and various other wards, Norwood ward should be disappointed with all this bed hopping
- Both Cllr Weavers and Brodie Brown will try and see if the damage caused in the Area Committee is not permanent

Originally Posted by Username2016

List is now up here:

https://www.sefton.gov.uk/your-counc...elections.aspx

Interestingly enough:

- Jo Barton has decided to move to Dukes Ward, probably pushed out by Dan Lewis who must have decided he doesn't want to represent the people of Norwood ward
- Dan Lewis has turned his back on Norwood road after months of running clinics in Meols ward to stand there, previously standing as PCC for Formby and various other wards, Norwood ward should be disappointed with all this bed hopping
- Both Cllr Weavers and Brodie Brown will try and see if the damage caused in the Area Committee is not permanent

A boring choice here in sunny Norwood and only the LibDem and the Green actually live in the ward in this supposedly "local" election. The other blow-ins don't really merit consideration.

Originally Posted by dav

A boring choice here in sunny Norwood and only the LibDem and the Green actually live in the ward in this supposedly "local" election. The other blow-ins don't really merit consideration.

In my view the Lib Dem’s have treated Norwood with contempt by virtue of Cllr Lewis moonlighting as a Meols Ward Cllr running surgeries there then only to push out his colleague so he can run there, must have not fancied his chances of getting in again as I’d suspect he’s got his eyes on being the next PCC....wonder if Tony will turn on him for that like the likely reason for his suspension in preferring a Tory MP than MP Maguire.

As much as they like to try and portray the opposite they’re a mess with:

1) leadership unable to control nastiness on social media by their own Cllra but not able to admit it when challenged (at least the tories have a policy on nastiness on social media)
2) falling out with each other, eg no one has paid tribute to Cllr maguire hence likelihood it was fairly acrimonious
3) the other Cllr Barton ousted from her ward
4) Cllr Dawson and Shaw persistently tattling with residents on social media
5) Cllr Shaw can’t even bring himself to call the Welsh’s by their names and can only call them “the defectors “
6) behaviour in Southport area committee leading to it being stopped

All whilst they are supposed to be representing us but just delivering empty bile filled statements.

Have to agree Username2016. I'd cut my hand off before I'd mark an X against LibDem or Momentum Labour box here. Not that there's much value in the other choices either... We need strong independents focusing on local issues where they actually stand a chance of getting something done.