Sefton Lib Dems put up a big tent

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Welcome to the Liberal Democrat and Progressive Alliance Group.

In Your Area reports an interesting development from Southport:

Sefton’s Liberal Democrat Group is opening its membership to progressive independent councillors as it aims to provide stronger opposition.

The group’s leader, Cllr John Pugh, says the decision is designed to enable more effective scrutiny of the Labour-run council as well as to welcome new people and ideas.

The Lib Dems are currently the largest opposition group on the council, ahead of the Conservatives and Independents, and Cllr Pugh says it would welcome any current or future councillor who shares a progressive agenda and similar values.

As a result of welcoming the new members ahead of the local elections on May 6, the group is to be renamed the Liberal Democrat and Progressive Alliance Group.

It goes on to quote John Pugh, who was Lib Dem MP for Southport between 2001 and 2017, as saying:

“Working together outside the party political bubble may be a risky step but it is certainly worth making the attempt and we are prepared to make it.“