Labour makes Liverpool its top local election target

Mar 15 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

WINNING back Liverpool City Council after a decade out of power will be Labour’s No.1 target in the looming local council elections, the party has revealed.

Gordon Brown’s handpicked elections co-ordinator has pinpointed the city – where the ruling Liberal Democrats have endured a number of setbacks – as Labour’s most likely success on May 1.

Hazel Blears, who is also the communities secretary, said three recent by-election victories had bolstered confidence that the electoral tide was finally turning in Liverpool.

Significantly, the city was the only place in Britain where Ms Blears was willing to predict such success, on what is generally expected to be a grim night for the Prime Minister.

The comments, made in an interview with the Daily Post, suggest Labour will pour staff and resources into Liverpool, to try to snatch the 10 council seats it needs to win overall control, with visits from leading ministers a distinct possibility.

Ms Blears said: “The last three by-elections that we won from the Liberal Democrats have been on swings of 22% to 25%.

“It has been quite dramatic in Liverpool.

“I’m not saying we are going to win Liverpool council, but it is now, officially, the worst financially-managed council in Britain

“It has not got a terribly good track record to put before the electorate at the next election, so the local elections will be interesting.”

But the Lib-Dems last night remained confident they would continue their stewardship of the city.

Cllr Mike Storey, Liverpool’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “I said at the Lib-Dem conference that Labour were clearly targeting Liverpool and you know they were throwing everything at it.

“They’re pouring in resources and pouring in helpers. I thought we were quite up against it.

“But I think we will match them and we will come through.”

Ms Blears accepted Labour’s prospects were far less rosy across the country, adding: “After 11 years in government, you do not expect the ruling party nationally to do particularly well in local government elections.”

The Liberal Democrats won control of Liverpool in 1998 and enjoyed many years as a flagship council, culminating in the triumph of winning the Capital of Culture accolade.

But the dream has turned sour with the Standards Board investigations into successive city council leaders, first Cllr Storey who was forced to step down as leader and now his successor, Warren Bradley.

Also damaging was the Audit Commission’s recent criticism of the city council’s financial management. Liverpool was given a lowly one-star ratingy.

And Ms Blears revealed Liverpool had slipped behind some other areas in the race for permission to form a powerful coalition with neighbouring authorities.

The so-called “multi-area agreement” (MAA) would allow Liverpool to pool parts of its budget with those of Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton, to form a “city-region”, with extra spending power.

Cllr Storey told the Daily Post he thought the Liberal Democrats would retain control of the Town Hall but with a reduced majority.

He said: “I think we will win.

“The alternative is to have a hung, balanced council, which I don’t think would be good for Liverpool.

OPINION: PAGE 6