Labour’s candidate for Bridgwater and West Somerset, Mick Lerry, says Ian Liddell-Grainger has been fatally damaged by West Somerset Tory councillors who branded him “dishonourable” and “unfit to be an MP.”
Mick said:“The time has come for even previously loyal Conservatives to realise that Ian Liddell-Grainger has lost any credibility he ever had. He has turned even his own party against him and if he does not resign, he can expect a collapse in his support in the election in May. For the Tory Leader of West Somerset Council to publicly state that he could not vote for Liddell-Grainger shows a real break down in his support.
Does not answer letters
“The recent vote of no confidence shows just how far Liddell-Grainger has abdicated his responsibility, simply because he believes that he is untouchable in any General Election. Many constituents have been alarmed that as an MP he does not answer letters or other communications. That he is often not even in the House of Commons for important votes shows how safe he believes he is.
Public outbursts using bad language
“Liddell-Grainger has previously made public outbursts at individuals using bad language to demean individuals. He does not set a public example of civility and he ignores the code of conduct of someone in public office.
Cannot accept responsibility for his own actions
“To blame others during the flooding in Somerset in 2014, when he voted in Parliament to reduce the budget on flood defence, shows exactly why he cannot accept responsibility for his own actions. He quickly attacked members of the Environment Agency while knowing that Flood Defence was not a priority for DEFRA, due to the fact that Owen Patterson, Secretary of State for DEFRA was a climate change denier. When asked a question at a county council scrutiny meeting in 2013 about the building of the River Parrett Barrier he said it should be built by the Environment Agency, when they had no funding to complete the task.
Airbrushed the Tory leader of West Somerset
“When Liddell-Grainger had met Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for DEFRA, regarding the action plan for flooding, he simply removed or airbrushed the Tory leader of West Somerset from the official photograph. This is the sort of behaviour that happens in totalitarian states. Surely this sort of prank is not what anyone expects from their MP, but he did it just to hurt and spite a loyal Tory member.
“As yet there has been no public apology to Cllr Tim Taylor and all that Liddell-Grainger has done is to blame his adviser, he does not have the courage and conviction to state that he was responsible. How can any constituent have trust and confidence in an MP who behaves in this way.
Abused the trust of his constituents
“If constituents check the record of voting in Parliament on issues of importance for people in his constituency, you will find that he was not present. So issues such as the National Health Service have been debated while the standing MP is nowhere to be seen in the House of Commons.
“Ian Liddell-Grainger MP has now abused the trust of his constituents and even loyal Tory supporters. It must now be time for the voters of Bridgwater and West Somerset to make history and vote for a strong Labour candidate who has lived and worked in the Constituency since 1976.”
We are all victims of our flawed political system. !
Continuing loyal supporters of all major parties, will vote for their candidate, regardless of whether he/she is a rogue or incompetant. So many voters do not think but so vote blindly ! The major parties want to keep this antiquated voting system, to protect their own politicaL CAREER AMBITIONS, and expenses, rather than concentrate on giving SERVICE TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
Put up a donkey, and it will still get a loyalist party vote !! We need individual Members with calibre, who will vote at Westminster with COMMON-SENSE, and not as party hack and lobby filler. !
D.G.