Confusion over the Liberal Democrat candidate in part of Southport could hand the seat to the Conservatives next month, the local party leader has said.
Sefton’s Lib Dems had decided not to stand a candidate in Dukes ward at the local elections on May 6 and instead support incumbent councillor Tony Dawson despite his expulsion from the party for undisclosed reasons.
However, when nominations closed last week, it emerged that the party’s metro mayor candidate David Newman had also put himself forward for the ward after applying directly to the regional party without the knowledge of Sefton’s Lib Dems.
Mr Newman, who is now the official Lib Dem candidate in Dukes ward, said he was standing to offer voters a “real choice”.
But Lib Dem group leader John Pugh said Mr Newman was explicitly asked by the local party not to stand, adding that the situation “may confuse electors and assist the Conservatives”.
Cllr Dawson won the seat in 2016 with a majority of 569 while the most recent result saw Cllr Pugh returned with a majority of 932 in 2019.
But 2018 saw a narrow victory for Conservative councillor Sir Ron Watson, meaning a split in the Lib Dem vote could well see the Tories gain another Dukes seat in May.
Cllr Pugh said: “Tony, though an active member of my council group, has issues with the national party that we hope to resolve as he has been very poorly treated in a manner hard to justify.
“His candidature as an unopposed independent was supported by the Liberal Democrat council group and the Southport Liberal Democrat Association.
“It is widely assumed that as the sitting councillor he represents the best chance of defeating the Conservative in what used to be their strongest ward. Should he win, he will remain part of our group.”
Cllr Pugh added: “Mr Newman was asked explicitly by the officers of Southport Liberal Democrat Association not to submit a nomination but still went ahead and did so.
“It is important to note that had he sought authorisation from the local officers as is the norm and the case in the other six Southport wards, he would have been refused. He has not been chosen by the ward, the local party or by the council group.”
In response, Mr Newman called on Cllr Dawson to “come clean” about why he was expelled from the Lib Dems and withdraw his candidacy “and back the Liberal Democrats who are the only main challengers to the Conservatives here”.
Mr Newman said: “I’m standing for both metro mayor and local councillor to put Southport firmly on the map and get the best deal possible for its future.
“The Liberal Democrats have a real plan to fix our broken high street and support the most vulnerable who have been left behind by the Covid-19 pandemic by the Conservative government.
“The Labour Party have no answers and are left divided across Merseyside by the grotesque actions in Liverpool which may have scuppered over £100m of taxpayers’ money.
“In regards to Cllr Dawson, he is an expelled member of the Liberal Democrats and will not be readmitted to the party. This has been supported by various disciplinary panels within the party.
“I appreciate some in the local party have a friendly relationship with Cllr Dawson, however the local party is in full contradiction of our party rules in not standing a candidate and giving people a real choice.”
Cllr Dawson could not be reached for comment.
Also standing in the seat are Mike Prendergast (Conservative), Thomas Spring (Labour) and Robert Doyle (Green).
