Southport Labour have written to the local Tory MP asking him for an "unequivocal answer" about whether public funds were used to pay for a leaflet he distributed or say they will be forced to make a formal complaint to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner regarding the matter.

The leaflet was circulated to around 40,000 households in the town during the recent local election period and was in parliamentary green and contained no Conservative logo.

Such material usually signifies it is intended to inform residents about the MP's constituency work and if so paid for out of public funds but it must then be politically impartial. Critics say the leaflet in question, however, carried a clear party political attack against the Labour group in Sefton Council and a series of Tory party spin lines.

Media comments at the time from Tory MP Damien Moore's staff also appeared to suggest that it was not Tory party funded. The Southport MP's Labour opponents have repeatedly challenged him over whether public funds were used to pay for the leaflet but no response has been given.

Liz Savage, Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Southport, says it's time that the local MP gave a definitive answer or a complaint would be lodged with the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner:

" This is a reluctant course of action but we have asked time and again without reply whether public funds have been misused on a leaflet that clearly has party political content and was released during an election period? "

" We believe it also breached the purdah convention as it contained a series of pictures of local teachers, seriously compromising their position too. Damien Moore has serious questions to answer on all of this but is simply dodging the matter. "

" It was either publicly funded and as such should be investigated for potential misuse of public funds during an election or it is Tory party funded in which case, why did his staff try to pass it off as non-party political during an election and why did it not carry the Tory logo? Either way, Mr Moore is misleading constituents in our eyes but he cannot remain silent on the issue. "

ROFL Not really only in Liz the ugly Savages unelectable fantasy world

Originally Posted by nosobored

ROFL Not really only in Liz the ugly Savages unelectable fantasy world

Geez, what a delightful member of society you are. There's actually quite an important point here, not that I'd expect you to understand it after that level of comment.

Disgraceful behaviour by the Conservative party if it found to be true.

Although that is something I tend to find me saying pretty much daily these days.

I particularly also like the "Securing Southports RBS Branches" about a week after this went out the RBS in Birkdale announced it was closing.

Useless MP.

Although I think liz has done good for the local labour cause I do feel she should not get drawn in to the Lib Dem race to the bottom approach and focus on what good she will and can do.

All these election leaflets should be taken with a pinch of salt, e.g. our lovely libs with their newsletters called “Southport news” and a website called “Southport says”:

https://electionleaflets.org/leaflets/548/

Although not political standards committee stuff still feel very murky that MPs expenses were funnelled into office rent that in turn was paid into local lib funds to possibly generate more junk mail in faux-handwritten styles.

Damien needs to not emulate John Pugh in empty statements and photo ops unless we will have a Scooby Doo unmasking moment, the new Lib Dem non-local candidate also sounds like the Lib Dem broken record and Liz should try not join the race to the bottom led by Dawson and Shaw....maybe if want to clean up local politics the focus should be how to create a working council not such a disfunctional one with poisonous press releases....which does not give value for money on the taxes we all pay for some of these self righteous fools.

Originally Posted by Username2016

Although I think liz has done good for the local labour cause I do feel she should not get drawn in to the Lib Dem race to the bottom approach and focus on what good she will and can do....which does not give value for money on the taxes we all pay for some of these self righteous fools.

Sorry, usually agree with you a lot of what you say but but there is actually an important point here. Damien has been repeatedly asked publicly and has avoided the issue. He has now been written to and respectfully given due warning. This is a potential misuse of public funds, there are clear rules about such things for a reason. It should not be just dismissed as "Ah well, it's usual election leaflet stuff". It isn't.

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

Sorry, usually agree with you a lot of what you say but but there is actually an important point here. Damien has been repeatedly asked publicly and has avoided the issue. He has now been written to and respectfully given due warning. This is a potential misuse of public funds, there are clear rules about such things for a reason. It should not be just dismissed as "Ah well, it's usual election leaflet stuff". It isn't.

Thanks and likewise although I'm not tied to one political party. But like with the Libs and the Strand, it's been said once, which it has been and people can draw their conclusions, then if Liz feels obliged to raise it up formally do so but doesn't need to be a story trotted out each week, so most of us have read the story so it's more would like to hear something new, and preferably something positive. There are many other items she can push of a positive nature, or if not ones that may cleanse the reputation of the council e.g. do we have councillors posting under pseudonyms and should we be ok with that? Do we have councillors posting politically charged articles with the aim to undermine the credibility of the overall council to the detriment of the people under the guise of "community contributor" or we now have a facebook site called "My Southport" run by the Lib Dems to go alongside the "Southport News" newsletters and SouthportSays website which to some may not be wholly transparent, although it is fairly amusing/telling that if you go on the southportlibdem website and click the "Save our A&E" link it no longer works so feels like their flagship bandwagon is only good for election time.

https://www.southportsays.co.uk

Personally I find this and the nastiness between our councillors pretty intolerable given that we are paying for councillor allowances when they are working against each other and moreso we pay an extra £4k to the so called "leaders" who clearly can't keep their councillors under control at the Area Committee or on social media and constantly want to try and blur lines between local politics and national politics. I also still find it odd that not many people are annoyed that for years our allowances for our MP were channelled back into the local Lib Dems through renting an office from the Lib Dems who in turn paid a donation into local funds, hardly lowering the cost of politics or transparent on where our money is going.

Liz Savage seems to have a lot of integrity about her...I even voted for her at the last election because of it, she doesn't need to join the frustratingly boring race to the bottom which the new Lib Dem candidate has joined even before he's started his campaign in anger trundling out the time old words of "raw deal", "bootle labour". Southport needs some positive and inclusive politics which should be what each party should use as their differentiator, constantly trying to be an island fighting against the wider Sefton or other parties is always going to be of a losing battle to those who pay the price in Southport.

Originally Posted by Username2016

Thanks and likewise .... in Southport.

Appreciated. I understand your point re. some of the strange goings on you've listed above.
With regards to Liz and this issue, tbf, it was actually at the start of the month that it was raised. As such, and as fair warning given to Damien today, then it seems fair enough to mention that there is still no answer... also, others might not be as switched on locally as yourself so might not be aware of the situation.
It will be interesting to see if he does give an account of the funding situation or if a complaint will have to be made to find out the information, which tbh in itself is pretty poor as if there's no problem it then becomes a rather unnecessary waste of resources and also local residents should simply be told and not have their MP refuse to answer a straight question like this. It's all rather odd.

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

Geez, what a delightful member of society you are. There's actually quite an important point here, not that I'd expect you to understand it after that level of comment.

Please enlighten me and the electorate as to the 'important point' being made? Just how many people paid the leaflet any attention? To most people it is a matter of pot calling kettle. It was not that long ago that Labour were accused of being less than transparent over an issue.

When people resort to criticising others on a regular basis - it does not affect those who are being criticised as much as reflecting badly on those complaining.

Originally Posted by said

Please enlighten me and the electorate as to the 'important point' being made? Just how many people paid the leaflet any attention? To most people it is a matter of pot calling kettle. It was not that long ago that Labour were accused of being less than transparent over an issue.

When people resort to criticising others on a regular basis - it does not affect those who are being criticised as much as reflecting badly on those complaining.

Marvin, given you just blatantly tried to mislead people on the other thread claiming you were from Southport (which is in complete contradiction to your previous explanation that you were from Congleton, live in Chester and that it's your sister that lives here, apparently) then I've not really much time for you tbh.

As a right wing activist constantly tapping away all the way over there on issues over here to agitate (or make any excuse as required) it does not surprise me in the slightest that you do not see what's important about our local Tory MP (not your local Tory MP of course) possibly misusing public funds and for some reason simply not making the position clear, despite being asked repeatedly... and actually asked really rather politely.

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

also, others might not be as switched on locally as yourself so might not be aware of the situation.

Ok, but we know now so would suggest not keeping it going like the libs taking it in turns to report on how upset they are with the Strand.

Do feel your strategy is wrong though, Damien as a new MP was always going to make mistakes as probably doesn’t have strong advice/support or listen enough to learn from it. The area you should be looking at is the Lib Dem vote as afterall:

1) we had an MP who did very little for the town of benefit but now enjoys a huge pension and a councillors allowance for all that
2) when the libs had a chance in coalition they supported some nast/anti Southport policies. Think the only one John Pugh went against the govt on was support for same sex marriage
3) they have some councillors who seem quite nasty and anti-democratic and the party doesn’t seem to have any interest in quelling that for our benefit but scratched own backs with office rentals
4) history has proven locally and nationally they can’t influence change so why would they be able to do it in the future
5) they’re hypocrites on the “local” thing with the new candidate, Cllr Lewis standing in formby, Cllr maguire in south ribble and Cllr Dawson in saddleworth....they did all lose though. It was also a bit hypocritical to have a go at Liz for being an outsider on Kew ward issues when Cllr Lewis ran surgeries in someone else’s ward for some time before elbowing his colleague out
6) they’re a mess, they don’t get in with each other by recent events/battles of ego, whether there is sexism also is questionable too:

http://thepotterblogger.blogspot.co....-dems.html?m=1

Oh and even with an accountant in their ranks they can’t add up to work out last election was not good news.

At least one of the parties in my view should focus on being best choice rather than least worst....so move on and focus on seeing whether your two new councillors can make a markable difference

Originally Posted by Username2016

Ok, but we know now so would suggest not keeping it going ....so move on and focus on seeing whether your two new councillors can make a markable difference

Thanks for taking the time to make your points. Obviously, what happens now depends on what Damien does, if he still fails to provide adequate answers then it will have to be pursued.

Certainly don't accept the "he's new" argument, he's been in post a year now basically and has several paid staff as well as himself, they are meant to be competent professionals. He also has the Tory party machine behind him. This type of thing is not something that just "slips by", especially in an election period. If they have used public funds to send out a party political leaflet during an election and then tried to make out it is not party political by removing the Tory blue and logo and using instead the parliamentary green, that is not naivety I'd suggest. Though it would not surprise me if that excuse (if needed) is employed.

Agree on the Lib-Dem points and actually think it goes further than that but will elucidate another time.

As to the two new Labour cllrs, it's only been two weeks... give 'em a chance :)

Originally Posted by nosobored

ROFL Not really only in Liz the ugly Savages unelectable fantasy world

Crawl back under your rock, moron.

I find a lot of these debates tedious. Trying to call the MP on something like this is akin to an attacker (in soccer) not having the guile or speed to beat his defender, so he takes a dive, hoping for a misplaced penalty.

Talk about his politics, not his admin please. There is plenty to go at.