Barnsley councillor defects to Lib Dems, citing concerns over Labour

Councillor Clive Pickering, who has represented the Old Town ward since 2022 said he could no longer support a party he believes has “abandoned its principles” and failed to listen to residents. He will now sit as a Liberal Democrat on Barnsley Council.

“Given the damage Labour are causing to the country – cutting Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners and attacking disabled people in proposed PIP changes, which they have only partly reversed out of political fear, I can’t in good conscience stand with a party that has abandoned its principles and the people they are meant to support,” he said.

Cllr Pickering added: “I’ve also tried to fix the Barnsley Labour Party from the inside, but you struggle to get things done if you’re not part of the deciding group. I disagree with a council dictated by a handful of people, where public accountability has become non-existent and residents aren’t listened to. I also had to question the damage it was doing to my integrity by simply being a member.”

He praised the Liberal Democrats as the “real alternative to Labour in Barnsley,” and said the national party, led by Ed Davey, is “leading the charge on fixing the social care system.”

However, Councillor Sir Steve Houghton, leader of Barnsley Council and the Labour Group, strongly rejected Cllr Pickering’s characterisation of the local party.

He told the local democracy reporting service that the party is currently going through its selection process to choose candidates ahead of next year’s all-out elections, and cllr Pickering’s “activities within the group and the council meant he was likely to have fallen short”.

“I’m not surprised he’s looked for pastures new,” added cllr Houghton.

“In terms of his comments on the Labour group and the council, I just completely refute those, they bear no resemblance to the reality. I think it’s just cllr Pickering trying to find reasons for why he left.”

The council leader also defended the national Labour Party’s policy direction, saying: “Nationally, the Labour Party has gone through some difficult decisions, but they’ve come out on the right end of that and are doing the things that we in Barnsley wanted to do in terms of Winter Fuel and welfare benefits. So I don’t think that’s any reason why anyone should have departed.”

Nationally, the Labour Party has gone through some difficult decisions, but they’ve come out on the right end of that and do the things that we in Barnsley wanted to do in terms of winter fuel and welfare benefits. So I don’t think that’s any reason why anyone should have departed. As I say, I think this is simply a case of who’s unlikely to be a Labour candidate, and he’s looked for pastures new.”