Sefton Labour councillor taken ill at party's conference

Sep 21 2008

A LABOUR councillor from Sefton has been taken sick  at the party's annual conference just minutes after backing prime minister Gordon Brown.

Councillor Les Byrom, from Southport, who defected to Labour from the Conservatives in the summer in a row over the detention of terror suspects, was taken to hospital from the conference after complaining he felt unwell.

Earlier, he had praised the beleaguered Prime Minister as a “considerate and compassionate” man.

“If you give Gordon Brown the chance he will use the experience he had as the iron Chancellor ... and he will become an iron Prime Minister,” he said.

Mr Byrom, who joined Sefton council in 1985 and was Conservative leader from 1991 to 2005, won cheers and an ovation at Labour’s conference when he spoke of his decision to resign from the Tories 10 weeks ago.

In a debate on crime and justice, the former parliamentary candidate said part of the reason was his “dissatisfaction” over Conservative policy on public services.

“What clinched it for me was talking to Gordon Brown. He was considerate and compassionate and made the decision for me at a time of considerable turmoil.

“And I think with the turmoil we’ve had these past weeks that Gordon Brown will be the person who can push the buttons for the economy ... to put us back on track.”