Chris Wallis, Labour’s candidate in Marple South & High Lane, and Chris Gleeson, Labour’s candidate in Marple North, write:

We know the Lib Dems peddle doubtful stories at the best of times – like their infamously fake graphs of election results – but their recent statements have plumbed new depths. Take a look.

“Conservative Councillors aren’t doing enough to protect our greenbelt.” In the vote to progress work on the business case for the A6/M60 link road, the Lib Dems were the only party where all but one councillor voted for it to go ahead. On a free vote the Tories and Labour were fairly evenly split. 

“The Labour-run council is putting up parking charges in a move that will hit local residents and businesses.” Yes they are, by 10p per hour in district centres. Station car park charges are frozen, often free, as it says in the Labour manifesto. The money raised goes toward – but doesn’t completely cover – keeping car parks repaired and safe.

“Labour and Conservatives […] blocked Lib Dem plans that would have kept [council] tax down by cutting the bill for Councillor allowances.” The Lib Dems were proposing to cut two cabinet posts – a saving of £35k. The Council Tax increase this year raised £7.2million, so where would the rest have come from? The Lib Dems proposed to fund it by spending the reserves – selling the family silver to pay the rent. And you can’t do that every year, so they’d have to put the tax up again soon, or cut services. The Labour Council put up the tax so that services did not have to be cut.

“Labour supporters are backing Steve (Gribbon, LD candidate) to beat the Conservatives and get a great councillor for MarpleNorth.” On the doorstep we are hearing that people who have voted Lib Dem in the past are impressed with the achievements of the Labour Council and are considering voting Labour. We do have the names of three prominent Lib Dems who now support Labour, and we know the party locally are in disarray, with one councillor defection recently and another one on the cards.

“The Lib Dems froze your Council Tax for four out of the last six years.” They’re forgetting they got a ‘freeze grant’ off the Government in return for not increasing council tax, NOT because of their efficient management of the council. Another thing they don’t tell you is that the reason Council Tax has to go up is because the Lib Dem coalition – including current Stockport Lib Dem Leader Mark Hunter when he was an MP – voted to cut Government grants to councils in 2010, and since then Stockport has lost £118million, with more to go.

The Labour Party is the only choice for financially responsible local government of Stockport.

The Lib Dems have put forward:

• No alternative budget

• No manifesto

• No plan for Stockport

To see the Labour plan for Stockport go to: http://stockportlabour.org.uk/manifesto-2018/