Moreton By-election squabble rumbles on

By Matt Hurst on Oct 20, 09 04:40 PM

CONSERVATIVE councillor, Suzanne Moseley has barely been laid to rest and already an almighty squabble is breaking out over her now vacant seat.

The political parties appeared united in tribute to the 47-year-old, who died suddenly at home last month, but all that appears to be history as a row broke out over who called the by-election first, and now accusations are flying from the Labour camp that conspiracy is afoot.

Wirral Campaign Against the Cuts (WCAC) is a group formed out of the ashes of Wirral Council's Strategic Asset Review, and with a sense the wind was beneath their sails following the remarkable u-turn on library provision, the group decided a vacant council seat was a green light for a jump inside political power on the peninsula.

Sitting Conservative councillors in Moreton and Saughall Massie, Cllrs Chris Blakeley and Simon Mountney got wind of WCAC's plans and decided to try and beat them to it, and remain convinced it was their letter that triggered the by-election.

It turn they slammed WCAC, not only for attempting to hijack the seat only weeks after Suzanne Moseley's funeral but for even daring to put up a candidate.

According to the Tories, a promise had been made to only contend the seats of those who voted for the controversial culture closures and the Conservatives certainly don't consider they fall into that category.

WCAC has resolutely refused any promise was made.

But like a great bear waking from a slumber, Wirral council leader Cllr Steve Foulkes has waded in to the row - and, remarkably, accused the two groups of being in cahoots.

If they are, they're giving a quite convincing impression of despising each other.

Cllr Foulkes said: "Politics throws up strange bedfellows.

"I can't help wondering, has politics come full circle, with the hard left and the hard right meeting to complete that circle?

"It would be fascinating to know."

The Conservatives found the accusation amusing, saying Cllr Foulkes was "rattled", while WCAC's Alec McFadden was more direct, suggesting the Labour leader should "go and see his doctor".

This could go on for a while.