Party leaders respond to Paul Rowen horse-trade jibe

Date published: 17/02/2006

Rochdale Conservative Party leader Ian Duckworth and Labour Group leader Allen Brett have responded to Paul Rowen's accusation of Labour and Tory politicians being "prepared to horse-trade their principles" for forming a coalition to run Rochdale Council.

Cllr Duckworth comments:

"The Lib Dems nationally and locally are the party of hypocrisy and contradiction. In Scotland they have a coalition with Labour. That's an entire country, and throughout local government they share power with both parties. Closer to home I know of at least one occasion when the Lib Dems have approached Conservatives asking to work together. In Rochdale when I was first elected, Paul Rowen had a coalition with the Conservatives, despite Labour being the single largest party on council.

Cllr Duckworth went on to say that the Conservatives and Labour are working together because they have no confidence in the financial acumen of the Lib Dems. Next week the Council will be deciding on the budget, and he condemned the Lib Dems for not putting forward one proposal when the council faces a deficit of £8.2 million. He asked: "How can they then ask the electorate to support them when they abdicate all responsibility. They are hoping that the voters won't notice their cheap political opportunism.

"Hypocrisy and contradiction is no way to run a Borough of some 225,000 people. The Conservatives are doing what's best for Rochdale Borough and not playing political games with people’s lives."

Council leader and leader of the local Labour group, Cllr Allen Brett, added: "we are working very hard behind the scenes to protect services, as I am sure will be apparent on Budget Day. The Lib Dems want to defer the budget as they have no constructive ideas and Cllr Taylor has not been told what to do by Hennigan."