Hammer blow to Labour as last councillor joins the Lib Dems

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 15th May 2008

Maidstone Lib Dems have enthusiastically welcomed the decision by the last remaining Councillor on Maidstone Council to leave Labour and join the Lib Dems. Cllr Daniel Moriarty said, 'Labour has lost its core values of looking after the working class, pensioners and the underprivileged. Following many recent decisions by the Labour government, not least the scrapping of the 10p starter rate of income tax in the last budget, I have resigned from the Labour Party. I tendered my resignation on 29 April, prior to the election results, and joined the Liberal Democrats. In Maidstone, the Liberal Democrats have demonstrated their commitment to residents by delivering the lowest council tax increase in Kent, more affordable housing and a quality recycling scheme - alongside retained weekly bin collections'.

Lib Dem leader in Maidstone, Fran Wilson, said "I am pleased to welcome Daniel to the Lib Dem group. His knowledge, experience in planning matters and his genuine concern for the less well off in our divided society will be an asset to the Maidstone Council Liberal Democrat group'.

Councillor Moriarty's decision is a hammer blow for Labour who now have no Cllrs on Maidstone Council.

Cllr Moriarty added, 'Planning is where I have a real interest and I have worked closely with Cllr Rob Field on tackling planning problems with the Furfield Quarry development. I am very concerned that the Conservatives' disastrous development blue-print for Maidstone Borough, scrapped by the Lib Dems last year, will be dusted off by the new Conservative administration. I will work with Liberal Democrat colleagues to defend our Town and beautiful countryside'.