High Peak Liberal DemocratsJust 24 hours after their disastrous County Council election results, where they only managed to pick up one County Council seat from the Conservatives, Broxtowe Labour Party have suffered another blow as one of their leading activists has defected to the Liberal Democrats.
Sarah Brown has been prominent in campaigning for Labour in the north of Broxtowe for the past few years and was placed on the national Labour Party list of prospective parliamentary candidates, but on Saturday she resigned her membership of the party and immediately joined the Liberal Democrats in their place. Sarah works for Unison and has previously served on their National Executive Committee. She remains a union steward.
Explaining her decision Sarah said "It's been coming a long time. Every time I walked into a constituency Labour Party meeting it was like I knew I didn't belong. I've been made to feel really welcomed by everyone in the Lib-Dems."
David Watts, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on Broxtowe Borough Council, said "I'm delighted to welcome Sarah on board. I've known her for a while and I know how passionate she is about social justice and helping people in her communities. Those themes really resonate with us as Liberal Democrats and I'm sure Sarah will find herself very much at home here."
In recent months the left wing of the Labour Party have taken control of many of the activities in the constituency and it is believed that up to half a dozen other key Labour activists may be about to leave the party in protest. Most are expected to apply for membership of the Liberal Democrats.
Councillor Watts said: "The Liberal Democrats are and always have been a centre left party. Moderate Labour members appalled by the way the hard left have seized control in Broxtowe or dismayed at Ed Miliband's lack of leadership will find a happy home here in the Liberal Democrats."
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