Labour's big guns launch opening salvo in Wirral's local election battle (From Wirral Globe)
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Labour's big guns launch opening salvo in Wirral's local election battle
2:38pm Thursday 29th March 2012 in News By Craig Manning
Alison McGovern MP, Cllr Phil Davies, Andy Burnham MP and Angela Eagle MP today
LOCAL election campaigning officially got underway in Wirral today as Labour frontbench MP Andy Burnham arrived to rally supporters.
The shadow health secretary joined the council's new Labour leader, Phil Davies, on the hustings as the parties start gearing up for polling day on May 3.
Also lending their support were Wallasey MP and shadow treasury minister Angela Eagle and Wirral South MP Alison McGovern.
Mr Burnham will be well-known to Globe readers as the Government minister who stepped in at the 11th-hour to prevent the highly-controversial closure of 11 of the borough's libraries.
In April of 2009, Mr Burnham was then culture secretary and brought a dramatic halt to the council's "strategic asset review" closure programme by announcing a public inquiry just 24 hours before the first library was due for the axe.
Addressing an audience today of party members and supporters at Birkenhead Town Hall, Mr Burnham said: “I am here to give my full support to Phil and the Labour group.
"It’s so important that we get Labour in control of this council.
“We’ve seen here in Wirral the damage that a coalition is doing with the wrong priorities.
“I’m here very much to send a message about supporting the frontline in our public services - in the police, the fire service and also in the national health service where the Government are making the wrong choices.
“They’ve brought forward a costly re-organisation that is damaging the frontline.
"On the day of the budget the the true colours of this coalition were really shown.
“They were handing out tax cuts to millionaires while at the same time giving P45s to nurses.
“That’s why they need to be shown the clearest of messages on May 3.”
The Labour group’s new leader Cllr Davies, who was unanimously voted in after Steve Foulkes announced his resignation, used the occasion to praise his predecessor: “I think Steve was obviously decided that he was going to play a different role in the group.
"I’m just so grafeful for the fantastic service he’s given to the Labour party and Labour group in Wirral.
“He’ll stay as a councillor and I’m sure he’ll make a continuing contribution to the group.
“We’ve got a lot of hard work to do, but I think there is an enthusiasm out there for Labour policies and I think people are angry.”
Twenty-two wards are being contested in the May 3 ballot. The council is currently under the minority rule of Conservatives who hold 27 seats. Labour is the largest single group with 30 councillors and Lib Dems trail with nine.
Comments(26)
ArdalMcFardle
says...
3:14pm Thu 29 Mar 12
Excuse me while I throw up , Iwouldn't vote for any of these miscreants
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
3:44pm Thu 29 Mar 12
This forms part of the remit of the Secretary of State for Health, and therefore well within the scope for comment of the Shadow Secretary. Surely Angela and Alison will have briefed Andy, even if Phil couldn't because he is still finding his feet as the new Labour leader.
Another missed opportunity?
Or another example of brushing things under the rug?
bigfoot
says...
3:56pm Thu 29 Mar 12
An electorate of Sheep, Breeds a Council/Government of Wolves!
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
4:24pm Thu 29 Mar 12
Try this from the same pen - you may find some parallels in Wirral today:-
"A shocking crime was committed on the unscrupulous initiative of few individuals, with the blessing of more, and amid the passive acquiescence of all."
No prizes for guessing the "few individuals" (pushy senior officers) or the "blessing of more" (sheep-like councillors) or the "passive acquiescence of all" (the voters who seem prepared to put up with it all).
WirralAl
says...
5:12pm Thu 29 Mar 12
Unbelievable blinkered and miss informed perhaps cllr foul kus told the of all his good work and not a single failure. Or perhaps this guy would rather have a libery than a police force.
Jayo
says...
8:42pm Thu 29 Mar 12
hugo2008
says...
10:21am Fri 30 Mar 12
They have sat by and watched for years some of the worst party politics underhanded dealings in a decade, take place right here among us.
Scandal upon Scandal.
Do not waste a vote on any candidate who has produced so little for so much for so long.
If your local Councillor has been in office any longer than three years, do yourself a favour and get rid, pick a New Face, anything must be better that what we have had in the past.
We want elected representatives who act for and on behalf of the residents in each and every Ward, regardless of political leanings.
Wipe out Party Politics from Local Government, we want an elected leadership that will ensure that WBC actually provides value for money, we deserve it.
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
10:40am Fri 30 Mar 12
Anything? Absolutely anything? WirralFirst with their looney policies? The BNP? Al Qaeda?
Dangerous and subversive, methinks.
Realistically speaking
says...
1:56pm Fri 30 Mar 12
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
2:24pm Fri 30 Mar 12
I was at Anfield a few years ago for the Hillsborough Memorial Service. Andy Burnham was booed and shouted down by (understandably upset) Liverpool fans. He stood there in very dignified silence for a long time until the fans had let off their steam, then just picked up where he had left off. Since then I have had the utmost respect for him as a man.
Your advice to Phil Davies and Wirral Labour is the most sound I have read on these threads (even though I don't necessarily subscribe to it !!).
You live up to your name.
MX
says...
7:50pm Fri 30 Mar 12
antisthenes
says...
9:07pm Fri 30 Mar 12
Jimrob
says...
9:23pm Fri 30 Mar 12
Good to see that the stooges surrounding Mr Burnham are keeping him well (mis)informed about Wirral politics and the way the council was run by Labour.
What planet are you on Mr Burnham, and just exactly how stupid do you think we are?
(BTW, and just for the record, I think the photo makes you all look like the UK entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. I just hope you all get the same number of votes)
Jimrob
says...
9:26pm Fri 30 Mar 12
Then Andy whips Angela's skirt off, as Phil does likewise to Alison. Lol.
uncatom
says...
7:58am Sat 31 Mar 12
unbeleivable
says...
2:35pm Sat 31 Mar 12
Ben Beaconsfield wrote:Can you tell me who social services personnel are answerable to?
No mention of the treatment of vulnerable adults in Wirral?
This forms part of the remit of the Secretary of State for Health, and therefore well within the scope for comment of the Shadow Secretary. Surely Angela and Alison will have briefed Andy, even if Phil couldn't because he is still finding his feet as the new Labour leader.
Another missed opportunity?
Or another example of brushing things under the rug?
MX
says...
6:35pm Sat 31 Mar 12
unbeleivable
says...
8:43am Sun 1 Apr 12
MX
says...
12:36pm Sun 1 Apr 12
However it seems as though if you have friends in high places and as long you're protected by certain Councillors who chair Social Care Commitees they seem to be able to do exactly as they please with absolutely no consequences.
I'd be furious if I was that guy from Highways Dept who may have been suspended witnessing what DASS Management seem to have got away with.
However if they are qualified social workers then they can be struck off by the General Social Care Council if they are in breach of their Code of Conduct.
However I understand that many of DASS senior managers are not qualified social workers and are subject to other professional bodies anyway (CIPD,CIPFA etc;).
ArdalMcFardle
says...
4:35pm Sun 1 Apr 12
Behave yourself, you complacent, pompous buffoon
JADEE1
says...
7:52pm Sun 1 Apr 12
JADEE1
says...
7:55pm Sun 1 Apr 12
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
8:17pm Sun 1 Apr 12
Where's this youth club story story come from?
JADEE1
says...
8:33pm Sun 1 Apr 12
Wirral First
says...
9:26am Wed 4 Apr 12
http://epetitions.di
rect.gov.uk/petition
s/32504
Cheesy Peas says...
2:49pm Thu 29 Mar 12
Scarcely see her name the rest of the time.