Tonight's Derby Evening Telegraph faithfully reports the apparent defection of 39 members from the local Labour Party over Lebanon...but close examination of their "mass-walkout" photo tells another story.
The Telegraph gives the impression that the photo shows a group who switched from Labour to the LibDems yesterday. In fact, just one member of the Labour Party can be identified on the photo - a gentleman called Masud Aktar.
However, several long-standing members of Derby LibDems can be clearly identified - as well as one ex-Labour member who defected a year ago, and another who changed sides two years ago.
Remember, recent events over Lebanon was supposed to be the reason for the "mass defection".
Likewise, on television pictures broadcast nationally last night as evidence of 39 defectors, there appear to be more long standing members of the LibDems than defectors from Labour.
No doubt there were some defections yesterday - but they were nothing to do with the war in Lebanon and everything to do with a failed bid to take over Derby Labour Party by a few individuals trying to grab seats on Derby City Council.
The overwhelming feeling in Derby Labour Party is one of relief that they have gone.
Of course, half a dozen defections in a local spat over council seats would not have made such a good story.
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4 comments:
Good couple of posts, Phil. I've put up links on the relevant thread over at LabourHome:
http://www.labourhome.org/story/2006/8/25/135319/737
Thanks Nick.
As John Prescott always says, a lie can be half way round the world before the truth has managed to lace its boots up.
Lib Dems misleading the public? I am shocked - not!
Actually there were 41 members of the Labour party who joined the Liberal Democrats and the local party was supplied with their former Labour membership numbers. Some of those in the photos were already Liberal Democrats because the Lib Dems were inviting the new members into their party!
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