Labour councillor defects to Tories

Thursday, 15 October 2009

By Greg Truscott

A LABOUR councillor has defected to the Conservative opposition.

Lambeth’s Councillor Betty Evans-Jacas quit her party on Friday to represent Brixton Hill ward for the Tories.

It is the first time a Labour councillor has “crossed the floor” to join the Tories in Lambeth in around three decades.

Cllr Evans-Jacas said she resigned as a Labour councillor after years of agonising over the failure of the leadership of the Labour Party to listen to voters.

She said: “I have been increasingly concerned about the Labour Party’s complacent attitude to its supporters and its unwillingness to improve its performance in engaging with the electorate and developing local policies and programmes to meet their ideas and needs.

“I am no longer able to serve as part of a Labour team that is failing Brixton Hill and Lambeth.”

The defection leaves the council made up of 37 Labour, 18 Lib Dem, seven Tories and one Green.

Opposition Conservative leader, Councillor John Whelan, has welcomed Cllr Evans-Jacas into his political group.

He said: “Betty is a woman of great integrity who is respected throughout the borough for her dedication to public service and service on Lambeth council where she has been a consistently strong voice for the residents, faith groups and small businesses of Brixton Hill.”

The shock defection prompted a heated response from the borough’s Labour party.

Council leader Steve Reed said: “Although her decision is a massive slap in the face for thousands of voters who backed Labour in 2006, she will not be much of a loss.”

Writing on his website blog, he said:“So it’s goodbye Betty, who betrayed her local voters by defecting to a party that has a record of utter contempt for the people she represents.”

And Labour’s Cllr Pete Robbins, on his personal Twitter page, wrote : “...Would like to thank Lambeth Tories for picking Labour’s scabs for them. Saves us a job.”

Last week, Labour chief whip Alex McKenna was deselected by his colleagues after representing Vassall ward in Brixton for 18 years.

It means he will not stand as the Labour representative in the ward in next year’s local government election.

Email: greg.truscott@slp.co.uk

For the full story, you can get a full online edition at www.slp-e-edition.co.uk

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3 comments on this news item

Posted by : John, Brixton | Monday 26/Oct/2009 | Report this comment

Of course the Conservative Party is the natural home for someone like dear Betty who has fought tirelessly over the years seeking better ethnic minority representation in local government. We can all rejoice knowing that Betty has only the best interests of local residents motivating her move rather than any sordid notions of personal advancement or careerism.

Oh yes indeedy!

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Posted by : John Cartwright, Brixton | Sunday 25/Oct/2009 | Report this comment

I voted for Betty Jacass as my LABOUR representative on the Council.If she feels she can no longer serve in that capacity,she MUST STAND DOWN.It makes an absolute mockery of democracy if she really thinks she can stay on. A friend informs me she has already been rewarded with increased allowances from the Tory run Fire authority,where she was just promoted last week.

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Posted by : Bob, Brixton | Friday 16/Oct/2009 | Report this comment

I hope the Tories know what they are taking on here - she is only in it for the expenses she can get; the worse kind of ’public servant’. And watch out becuase she’ll be changing party again soon if the Tories fail to find her a safe seat/ give what she thinks she is due

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