Pendle Lib Dem quits to join Labour group (From Burnley and Pendle Citizen)

Pendle Lib Dem quits to join Labour group

11:39am Wednesday 13th August 2008 in News

BLAST: Coun Ahmed

A PENDLE councillor blasted “self-centred” Liberal Democrats after defecting to Labour.

Nawaz Ahmed, who sits on both Lancashire County Council and Pendle Council, said he had decided to switch allegiance as he was “impressed” with the county’s Labour group.

And he said splits among the Liberal Democrats had driven him out of the party.

He said: “I have been involved with the Liberal Democrats for more than 10 years and it is sad that the party I joined has been taken over by people who are self-centred and only interested in their own gains at the expense of residents in Pendle.

“I have been trying internally over the last year or so to help to re-focus minds.

“While there are some genuine councillors in the party, it is led by a handful of people who have no respect for the residents we are elected to represent.”

County Coun Ahmed, who has sat on the county council for four years and has been a borough councillor since 2003, also said the £50million flagship Building Schools for the Future programme in Pendle had convinced him to switch.

“I am particularly enthused by the delivery of new schools for Burnley and Pendle which will transform the educational experience for all our children,” he added.

County Coun David Whipp, leader of the county’s Lib Demgroup, was unavailable for comment.