Lib Dems defect to Labour over coalition
By politics.co.uk staf
Two Liberal Democrat councillors have become the first Devon politicians to defect to Labour over the coalition agreement with the Conservatives.
Rob Hannaford and Adrian Hannaford swapped sides earlier this week and warned other Lib Dems might be considering a move.
But the council’s Lib Dem leader Adrian Fullam said the two men should be the first and last defections.
“Generally speaking the Liberal Democrats are pleased that they are influencing government policy, that there is not unrestrained Conservatism and we can have that moderating influence,” he said.
Exeter Labour spokesman Ian Martin warned he would continue trying to tempt Lib Dems away.
“I have a list of Liberal Democrats who are city councillors that I wanted to approach to join us on the Labour Party,” the BBC reported him as saying.
“Rob and Adrian Hannaford were not on my list. There are other people on my list.”
