Southwark Labour vote against change to benefit residents
Southwark Labour last night voted down the Liberal Democrats’ alternative budget, which contained – amongst other measures – a package which would have:
- Frozen council tax for those most struggling, abolished council tax for those with terminal illnesses, and added £1 million to the cost-of-living fund.
- Doubled community safety wardens
- Rolled out one stop shops for council services
In addition to blocking the amendment, the Labour party also engaged in a shocking display of political sabotage. The Cabinet Member for Finance purposefully ran down the clock on councillor’s questions, meaning that only one Liberal Democrat question out of eleven submitted were heard.
In a more serious breach of the standards expected of those elected to public office, the 45-strong Labour group repeatedly shouted down opposition members, resulting in one Liberal Democrat councillor being unable to deliver the speech she intended to give on community safety.
The Liberal Democrats have been pushing many of these policies for years – with one stop shops featuring in the previous three years’ alternative budgets, community wardens the previous two, and have consistently put forward cost of living support every year in their proposals.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain said:
“Labour’s actions last night were those of a desperate political party who know the writing is on the wall for them in May. They’re more interested in playing political games than delivering on residents’ priorities. Our alternative budget – which they slapped down as they do every year – would have delivered on those priorities of crime, the cost of living, and improving council services.
Residents have lost all faith in this Labour administration to deliver change – they know that Liberal Democrats are the only ones who can fix Southwark by rolling out fully resourced one stop shops, doubling community safety wardens, and freezing council tax for those most struggling.”