Councillor wins praise for decision to leave Labour (From York Press)
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York councillor Lynn Jeffries wins praise for decision to leave Labour
9:26am Friday 24th August 2012 in News
By Mark Stead, Political Reporter
Lynn Jeffries, who intends to carry on as an independent
A YORK councillor has been praised for “standing up for her principles” by residents in the ward she represents after her shock announcement that she has quit the city’s ruling Labour Party.
Lynn Jeffries, who was elected in City of York Council ’s Westfield ward in the May 2011 local elections, said she had left the group after becoming disillusioned with the way it was running the city.
She said its decision to cut community social care for 184 vulnerable residents had been the “final straw”.
Her decision to quit was exclusively revealed by The Press yesterday.
Lynn, who intends to remain a councillor, also criticised Labour and its leader, James Alexander, for its handling of issues such as the proposed sale of Union Terrace car park, the closure of Beckfield Lane waste recycling centre and the removal of hundreds of York litter bins, saying she felt the party had “taken her voice away”.
Coun Alexander has accused Coun Jeffries, 56, of letting down Labour and those who voted for her last year, but residents in Westfield yesterday said they backed her stance.
John Forrester, who lives in Foxwood, part of the ward., said: “I think she has done the honourable thing, because she clearly feel strongly about something which is very important.
“Social care is one of the last things which should be cut and I applaud her for resigning on a point of principle.”
Shirley Gumley, who chairs Foxwood Residents’ Association, said she knew Coun Jeffries well.
She said: “She is a wonderful councillor and such a big asset to the community.
“Lynn is a genuine person who fights your corner. If she felt she was not being listened to, the best thing for her to do was to leave the Labour group because it is meant to be all about consultation.”
Westfield resident Robert Gibson said: “It’s good to see a politician standing up for her principles and sticking her head above the parapet.”
However, Coun Jeffries’ decision was criticised by another ward resident, Mary Groves, who said: “She was elected as a Labour councillor and should stick by them and look to work out any differences she might have with the party – things happen in politics that people don’t like, but I don’t see how just resigning is going to help.”
Coun Jeffries can continue as an independent councillor, although it is believed the Liberal Democrat group – who held all three Westfield seats before the last elections - have made overtures to her about defecting to them.
Comments(22)
capt spaulding
says...
9:40am Fri 24 Aug 12
What on earth is going on in our council.
I stress OUR, yes you are all there for US, not yourselves.
Torycouncil2015
says...
9:51am Fri 24 Aug 12
brummiebob wrote:York currently has 47 councillors of which 25 are Labour. If just two more stand by their principles we will be back to having a hung council. This will mean genuine debate in committees and decisions based on consensus not the will of the two Holgate bullies
Change can only happen from within any organisation, falling on your sword rarely changes anything, in fact it means there is one less dissenting voice within the decision making process.
york_chap
says...
9:53am Fri 24 Aug 12
desmond tiblets
says...
9:54am Fri 24 Aug 12
Torycouncil2015 wrote:who are the two bullies out of interest
brummiebob wrote: Change can only happen from within any organisation, falling on your sword rarely changes anything, in fact it means there is one less dissenting voice within the decision making process.York currently has 47 councillors of which 25 are Labour. If just two more stand by their principles we will be back to having a hung council. This will mean genuine debate in committees and decisions based on consensus not the will of the two Holgate bullies
oi oi savaloy
says...
10:03am Fri 24 Aug 12
desmond tiblets wrote:at a guess i would say calamity james and red sonja (with a little help from the lgbt labour guy dan siddel)
Torycouncil2015 wrote:who are the two bullies out of interestbrummiebob wrote: Change can only happen from within any organisation, falling on your sword rarely changes anything, in fact it means there is one less dissenting voice within the decision making process.York currently has 47 councillors of which 25 are Labour. If just two more stand by their principles we will be back to having a hung council. This will mean genuine debate in committees and decisions based on consensus not the will of the two Holgate bullies
Torycouncil2015
says...
10:03am Fri 24 Aug 12
desmond tiblets wrote:well there are only 3 councillors in Holgate and as far as I can see one of them is mute!
Torycouncil2015 wrote:who are the two bullies out of interest
brummiebob wrote: Change can only happen from within any organisation, falling on your sword rarely changes anything, in fact it means there is one less dissenting voice within the decision making process.York currently has 47 councillors of which 25 are Labour. If just two more stand by their principles we will be back to having a hung council. This will mean genuine debate in committees and decisions based on consensus not the will of the two Holgate bullies
York1900
says...
10:20am Fri 24 Aug 12
They all seem to be in it for there own gain rather that for the betterment of the people who elected them
Cllr Jeffries did the right thing in quiting LABOUR for the way LABOUR are doing the Governments bidding on cuts
People put LABOUR in power in York thinking they were going to get some thing better
.
who are ya
says...
10:27am Fri 24 Aug 12
Yeahbutno
says...
11:52am Fri 24 Aug 12
york_chap wrote:I'm a Westfield resident, claim nothing from the state, pay Council tax at the full rate for my property and our household contributes a big chunk of Income Tax (some at 40%). I happen to agree fully with Lyn Jeffreys , and object to the weay these cuts have been handled.
Cuts are always going to be objected to most strongly in these ghetto wards where a high proportion of residents are 'entitled' to free/subsidised everything. If people stopped expecting the State to owe them a living, then there might be enough money left to care for the elderly and those who actually need it and to keep municipal waste facilities etc. open.
Unfortunately, bigoted generalisations like you make will be believed by some people on here, but the truth is that Westfield ward is far from a "ghetto". Is has pockets of deprivation (some quite severe), but for the most part I love where I live and the people I share it with.
rothko
says...
12:42pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Zetkin
says...
3:01pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Whether she remains independent or joins the Condems, she should resign her seat and fight a by-election.
People voted for a Labour candidate and deserve the chance to decide whether they want her to continue as their councillor in her new colours.
Ichabod76
says...
3:59pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Zetkin wrote:I Didn't I voted for Lynn Jeffries, I have regretted voting Labour ever since
I'll be interested to see how principled Coun Jeffries is when it comes round to setting the next budget. Will she oppose all cuts? Or perhaps she'll make some compromises and support cuts which suit her own agenda?
Whether she remains independent or joins the Condems, she should resign her seat and fight a by-election.
People voted for a Labour candidate and deserve the chance to decide whether they want her to continue as their councillor in her new colours.
but at least Lynn has restored my faith in who I voted for by showing she will stand up for the people. Not just do what she's told.
I will be happy to vote for Lynn as an independent.
Micklegate
says...
4:32pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Zetkin wrote:No!!!!!
I'll be interested to see how principled Coun Jeffries is when it comes round to setting the next budget. Will she oppose all cuts? Or perhaps she'll make some compromises and support cuts which suit her own agenda?
Whether she remains independent or joins the Condems, she should resign her seat and fight a by-election.
People voted for a Labour candidate and deserve the chance to decide whether they want her to continue as their councillor in her new colours.
You are missing the whole point! She opposes some cuts (e.g. Adult social care recently), disagrees with the lack of consultation and the dictatorial approach of James Alexander. She makes coherent sense.
In terns of people saying she should stand down - Labour promised to consult and go with what people wanted, they haven't - it's the other 25 Labour councillors that should stand down, not Lynn Jeffries
capt spaulding
says...
4:59pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Well done Lynn.
Omega Point
says...
5:57pm Fri 24 Aug 12
If Lynn Jeffries is a person of principles and I have no doubt given her actions then why would she want to join the LibDems?
Silver
says...
6:34pm Fri 24 Aug 12
brummiebob wrote:Changes obviously can't happen from within this organisation as JA is too much in control. I wouldn't call this falling on your sword I'd call it sweeping aside the curtain so we can see what actually is going on. Also removing one dissenting voice that isn't being heard in the least means it's non consequence. Sure it's semantics but that's how I view it
Change can only happen from within any organisation, falling on your sword rarely changes anything, in fact it means there is one less dissenting voice within the decision making process.
consumer
says...
7:15pm Fri 24 Aug 12
RoseD
says...
8:04pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Silver wrote:I completely agree, Silver; and Way to go, Coun Jeffries!
brummiebob wrote:Changes obviously can't happen from within this organisation as JA is too much in control. I wouldn't call this falling on your sword I'd call it sweeping aside the curtain so we can see what actually is going on. Also removing one dissenting voice that isn't being heard in the least means it's non consequence. Sure it's semantics but that's how I view it
Change can only happen from within any organisation, falling on your sword rarely changes anything, in fact it means there is one less dissenting voice within the decision making process.
Omega Point
says...
10:28pm Fri 24 Aug 12
consumer wrote:Ah but which Labour movement? Old or New.
A scab on the body of the Labour movement.
piaggio1
says...
10:59pm Fri 24 Aug 12
ahhh yea i get it .as for the other parts of york fiddling their tax returns
an shoud.nt this lot be called LIEBOUR.??named after their famouse leader?? who still claims £400.000 per year from US .the taxpayer.........oh dear what is happening to my country
Silver
says...
11:26pm Fri 24 Aug 12
Omega Point wrote:A bowel movement perhaps?
consumer wrote:Ah but which Labour movement? Old or New.
A scab on the body of the Labour movement.
brummiebob says...
9:39am Fri 24 Aug 12