Letter to the press

The naked opportunism of Steve Niblock in defecting from the Liberal Democrats to Labour will come as no surprise to a cynical electorate. Up for re-election in 12 months, Cllr Niblock clearly saw the writing on the wall and the end of his political career if he stayed with the Liberal Democrats.

Cllr Niblock's bluster about "rabid Tory policies" holds little water. Neither does his self proclaimed position on "the radical Left". If this were true he would not be joining a Labour party that, like the coalition government, is committed to cutting the deficit by slashing public services. A true progressive would look at the Green Party's radical programme of tax reform and investment in a low carbon economy. Only this can deliver the fair and secure society we desperately need but which none of the mainstream parties is prepared to deliver.