Here’s the party’s news release:
Liberal Democrats retain control of Liverpool
An Independent Labour councillor has joined the Liberal Democrats, tonight, meaning the party has retained its control of Liverpool city Council.
The move means that the Liberal Democrats have 46 of the 90 seats in Liverpool.
Nadia Stewart decided it was in the city’s interest to give the Liberal Democrats an overall majority rather than half the council seats.
Liberal Democrat Chief Executive, Lord Rennard said:
“We are delighted to remain in control of Liverpool with an overall majority. If the BBC is right that we have overtaken Labour in national vote share, then it is only for the second time ever.
“In terms of our council seats, we are holding our own against the high base of 2004 and we are again the clear challengers to Labour in many of its former heartlands.”
5 Comments
I have to say, that’s a bloody good result in the light of the prophecies of doom and gloom that had been reaching me about our prospects in Liverpool!
Having said that, this is very much a “last chance” for our team there to get tangiable results from the work we have been doing, especially on the financial side. Barring any by-elections or defections, they have two years. Let’s see how they do.
No wonder they call you the scavengers of British politics. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
If Liberal Democrats and the continuation Liberal Party could finally negotiate a reunification, the majority in Liverpool would be even more clear (as would be the newly gained position of the largest party in Exeter).
Ha-ha! Yes, we should be ashamed of defections to us. Great one pundit. I’m sure you say that every time there are defections to your party to, hey?
Technically we never lost control of Liverpool as defeated councillors don’t leave office till a few days after the election. (just to pre-empt the opposition trolls who will complain we’ve “spun” Liverpool off of our “losses” list.