Dormanstown victory is the first in living memory

Picture - Winning Team left to right: Cllr John Hannon, Cllr Margaret Wilson, Amanda Proud, Cllr Glynis Abbott, Pat Swales, new Cllr Ken Lucas, Ian Swales (PPC for Redcar), Chris Abbott Group Leader, Steven Abbott, Cllr Mary Ovens, Cllr Madge Moses, Wilf Phillips.

Posted by Chris:

The Liberal Democrats' victory in Dormanstown is the first time in living memory that Labour has lost a seat in the Ward. The nearest coming 10 years ago when the Lib Dems lost by 8 votes.

In more than 30 years fighting local government elections Labour's desperate campaign of smears, lies and outrageous distortions was the worst I have ever come across. Their campaign amounted to little more than repeating over and over again distorted remarks about the pay rise an Independent Re-numeration Panel (IRP) gave to an Independent Deputy Mayor FIVE years ago. It was from around 500 to about £3000 in a Council with an annual budget of around £330,000,000.

Leaflet after illiterate leaflet spouted out that it was a Lib Dem 557% rise, not mentioning the small amount involved. They even claimed that the recent increase the IRP gave to the Labour Leader of the Council was a £7000 Lib Dem rise which the Leader turned down. What it had to do with the Liberal Democrats I don't know but that is what they claimed to the electors.

The crazy thing was they did this in the face of a report from the IRP, which pointed out that several leading Labour Councillors had been interviewed by them and had all requested that the Leader of the Council should have an increase in allowances. Clearly asking for it then turning it down was nothing more than a publicity stunt.

You would think with a £330m budget, they could have found a few more intelligent issues to debate in the by election than the increases in allowances recommended by the IRP, FIVE years ago, in a report that they instigated in the first place and have been receiving themselves ever since.

Judging by the appalling personal attack on me by the Cabinet Member for Resources, just after the result was announced, it is clear Labour in this area are never going to learn. It is also clear which Party Labour fear most in Redcar. Watch out for the General Election in Redcar Constituency, when it comes, we might have a surprise to spring.