Star date: 27th February 2019

COUNCILLOR PAUL WILSON RESIGNS FROM LABOUR PARTY AT SALFORD COUNCIL BUDGET MEETING

"I say to these fake socialists it's time they look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves who the real socialist is..."

Councillor Paul Wilson, who represents Weaste, sensationally resigned from the Labour Party today at a full meeting of Salford City Council, voting against the Party's budget, citing "fake socialists", "bullying", "factions and patronage", "vanity projects" and a "morally corrupt party"...

"Paul Dennett had joined the old guard of Labour politicians and seemed to have forgotten that he was once opposed to private consultants and expensive homes built at the expense of Salford people" he stated.

Full details here...

At an explosive meeting of Salford City Council today, Weaste Councillor Paul Wilson sensationally and publicly resigned from the Salford Labour Party, citing a whole list of allegations, ranging from 'bullying' to 'factions and patronage' and a 'morally corrupt party'...

Councillor Wilson spoke after Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, had proposed a budget containing over £13million of 'savings', explaining that "austerity is far from over", slating the "depths of misery" caused by the Conservative Government, and how it was "diverting money into wealthy areas...further entrenching inequality".

The Mayor also announced a 2.99% Council Tax rise, plus a 1% social care precept, while a GM Mayoral Police Precept of around £24 a year and a Mayoral General Precept of around £50 per year is also to be added.

Following the Mayor's speech, Councillor Wilson read out a prepared statement laying into the Salford Labour Party policies, the old leadership of John Merry "wasting money on expensive private consultants" and building unaffordable homes; and the policies of previous City Mayor Ian Stewart, "whose main achievement was to eradicate any kind of democracy that still existed in Salford Labour Party...whilst building a power base around patronage..."

Councillor Wilson accused current Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett of continuing the process, arguing that he has "continued to throw money at vanity projects, projects such as the Salford's rugby stadium, expensive office blocks". He also accused Dennett of "hypocrisy", that had "seen him vote to sell off Council houses and then complain to the mainstream media we have no affordable homes left..."

The full statement reads...
Resignation of Councillor Paul Wilson from Salford Labour Party
 
"Earlier today I wrote to the party members of the ward I represent to thank them for their support over the last seven years and inform them that I have made the difficult decision to resign from Salford Labour Party, a party that I have spent most of my life working for so that the people of Salford would benefit from Socialist policies.
 
Today I voted against the proposed budget, a budget proposed by City Mayor Dennett which has shown that the priority of Salford people is being neglected; allowing care workers to be paid less than the living wage, closing a children's home, more staff loses and this all whilst paying for expensive office blocks on the outskirts of Manchester, funding a failing stadium, paying millions of pounds in interest on capital projects that ordinary Salford people will not benefit from and all whilst hiking up Council Tax. Paul Dennett will argue that the cuts are the fault of austerity, but when his administration has failed year on year to effectively collect Business Rates and Council Tax it shows a lack of leadership has significantly contributed to the cuts in services and the increases in Council Tax.
 
There are those within Salford Labour Party who will, and have said, I'm doing this because I'm a Blairite, or a red Tory, these same people are the ones who voted to sell off the Council Houses and cut disabled transport whilst I voted against these right wing policies. It's the very same people who verbally attacked me in the corridors of the Civic Centre for trying to protect our Council Houses! Well I say to these fake Socialists it's time they look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves who the real socialist is!
 
During my time as a Councillor I have proved to be effective at getting results for the people of Salford and have forced City Mayors to change policies, policies such as building in public parks and allowing hundreds of homes to be built on recreational land. But by standing up for Salford people I have been subjected to bullying from within the party, punished by being blocked to stand again because I was dealing with personal health issues and this is all whilst witnessing Anti-Semitic behaviour being brushed under the carpet by those in charge of Salford Labour.
 
I know I'm not alone and whilst serving as a Labour Councillor I have served with other honest, hard working Councillors who I know are wrestling with their conscience as to if they can continue to serve in this current party political system based on factions and patronage.
 
My motivation for becoming a Councillor was that the Salford Labour ran Council under the leadership of Councillor Merry had lost sight of what was important to making Salford a better and fairer city to live in, wasting money on expensive private consultants, building expensive homes that Salford people could not afford and at the time this is a view Paul Dennett shared. 
 
Next came along Ian Stewart whose main achievement was to eradicate any kind of democracy that still existed in Salford Labour Party. He continued to waste money on consultants, threw money at vanity projects and ignored the voices of Salford people, and all whilst building a power base around patronage. The only difference this time was Paul Dennett had joined the old guard of Labour politicians and seemed to have forgotten that he was once opposed to private consultants and expensive homes built at the expense of Salford people.
 
Under the current City Mayor's 'leadership' Paul Dennett has continued to throw money at vanity projects, projects such as the Salford's rugby stadium, expensive office blocks. But it gets worse, the hypocrisy of Dennett has seen him vote to sell off Council houses and then complain to the mainstream media we have no affordable homes left. This is a 'leadership' that sees the same people in charge of Salford Council that were in charge back in John Merry's days. Dennett will tell you that he's making a difference with his Derive project to build social housing, well for all the millions of pounds invested we have a handful of homes in the shadows of the dangerous tower blocks that Paul Dennett so proudly pushed forward in another private finance initiative.
 
I have tried to change this morally corrupt party from within by working with the current leadership, but it has proved impossible and now is the time for change, the change that Salford people want and deserve. I will now stand as an independent Councillor and I will work in alliance with others who feel let down with the traditional party political system to drive change that Salford people want; change that sees affordable homes built for Salford people, change that protects jobs in Salford whilst improving our failing school system and providing good quality health care. I will also work to improve our environment by reducing environmental crime and protecting green spaces..."

After Councillor Wilson's speech, Deputy Mayor John Merry accused him of "lies and smears" and "nonsensical statements", Councillor Heather Fletcher explained that she hadn't experienced any anti-semitism from Labour Party members in Salford, Councillor Bill Hinds called the statement "disgraceful", while City Mayor Paul Dennett declared himself "upset" at the comments, arguing that he had never proposed building houses in Buile Hill Park, adding that it was "unfortunate" Councillor Wilson had not raised his issues at a recent meeting of Salford Labour Party.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the budget was duly passed.

*The Salford Council meeting also debated capital expenditure on office blocks and more – further details see here