Stalwart breaks ranks and switches to Labour amid ‘embarrassment and shame’ at way city is run

Mar 8 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

A LONG-SERVING Liberal Democrat councillor, who defected to Labour, yesterday said she had been “embarrassed and ashamed” at her former party.

Cllr Beatrice Fraenkel had already been deselected from her Cressington seat in south Liverpool for the May elections by the Lib-Dems after 23 years.

She will now stand in the city for Labour instead, as exclusively revealed in yesterday’s Daily Post.

Cllr Fraenkel said: “I feel the administration is failing the city in a way which is doing a lot of damage, not just to our reputation but the potential for investment.

“It is also doing damage to the council’s ability to deliver for our communities.

“It is an extremely sad situation. But I found it deeply embarrassing to be part of an administration which is behaving in ways I recognise from when I joined the council to fight Militant.

“It is about the whole culture, style and ethics of the administration, not individuals within it. I have no quarrel with the national party.”

Labour leader Joe Anderson welcomed Cllr Fraenkel with open arms.

He said: “She has more than 20 years’ experience and is respected not just in the political world but the business community as someone who has honourable views.

“The fact she is absolutely disillusioned with the Lib-Dems’ running of the city and has decided to join Labour shows she believes our values, aims and vision for Liverpool.”

Lib-Dem and council leader Warren Bradley said Cllr Fraenkel’s decision came as “no surprise”.

“I would like to thank Cllr Fraenkel for her service and I wish her well with all her external commitments.

“She has received many letters and emails from the group regarding her attendance at council meetings which highlighted her inability to remain at meetings for the duration.

“Many residents in the Cressington ward have also commented on Cllr Fraenkel’s lack of commitment to them.”