A RIFT among a Merseyside Labour group last night led to a shock defection to the Liberal Democrats.

Cllr Paul Larkin, who represents Bootle’s Derby ward, crossed the divide after claiming Sefton’s Labour leadership is “deaf” to the concerns of voters.

But his former leader, Cllr Peter Dowd, claimed Cllr Larkin was “completely out of touch with the investment” which has gone into Bootle.

Meanwhile, Lib-Dem officials were toasting winning what they see as a key foothold in south Sefton and a possible step on the road to securing overall control of the council.

In a statement announcing his move, Cllr Larkin said: “The local leadership of the Labour party has failed to listen to the community concerns with regard to poor-quality housing and the lack of regeneration across Derby ward and although I have tried for five years to get the local Labour party to listen to the community’s concerns, they continue to tell the community to ‘struggle on’.

“I believe this community cannot struggle on any more. While people are living in fear of leaving their children to play in the streets and the elderly are prisoners at night in their homes, the Labour party refuse to listen.”

Cllr Larkin also worked as an agent to Claire Curtis-Thomas, Crosby’s Labour MP, during the 2005 general election.