Liverpool Lib-Dem thrown out after criticising council leaders

Dec 10 2007 by Jessica Shaughnessy, Liverpool Daily Post

A LIVERPOOL council stalwart who was critical of the authority’s leadership has been thrown out by her Liberal Democrat colleagues.

Long-standing councillor Beatrice Fraenkel, who has held her seat in the Cressington ward since 1986, was voted out by members of the ruling party.

The decision means Cllr Fraenkel, who is a non-executive director for the Standards Board for England, the national watchdog for local councils, will not be able to stand for re-election in May.

The executive member for regeneration and former council leader, Mike Storey, last night said Cllr Fraenkel had to put herself forward for re-selection after the end of her term of office, and her party had voted for another candidate.

He added: “It shows the vibrancy of the Liberal Democrats that we had two very strong candidates, both of them women.

“The members have made their choice and I respect that.”

But it was well known at the town hall that Cllr Fraenkel was “deeply unhappy” about certain decisions made by the party’s leaders.

Behind closed doors, she questioned the council’s handling of the row that surrounded Mr Storey’s dramatic step-down, and the exit of then chief executive David Henshaw.

Cllr Fraenkel was popular and received among the highest number of votes in any Liverpool ward when she was re-elected last May.

But, as her seat came up for re-selection, Liberal Democrats decided former councillor Paula Keaveney, who in May lost her seat in Garston where she lives, should stand next year instead.

They voted 14-9 in favour of Ms Keaveney in a ballot.

Cllr Fraenkel said last night: “It has come as a surprise.

“I will miss working for the community.

“But this is sometimes how politics works.

“I am sorry that the people in Cressington will no longer have a representative who lives in the ward on the council.”

Cllr Fraenkel denied speculation that she is planning to defect to Labour, and opposition leader Cllr Joe Anderson also insisted that there have been no talks about possibly recruiting her. But he described her as a “conscientious councillor with great integrity”.

Cllr Anderson said: “Cllr Fraenkel is a very honourable woman.

“She has always impressed us with her integrity, and the Liverpool Labour Party was very happy to support her when she was put up for a seat on the Standards Board for England.

“She was critical of the Lib-Dems during the period when Cllr Storey and David Henshaw had their very public battle.

“This has been the first opportunity since then for them to oust her.

“She challenged them on their behaviour and they didn’t like it.

“Our members heard from gossip mongers within the Lib-Dems that she would be deselected, and one of them decided to do the decent thing and tell her about it.”