2:14pm Tuesday 10th June 2008
By Elizabeth Pears
Ali Demirci has become the second Liberal Democrat councillor to abandon the party in favour of Labour in less than a year.
The Bounds Green councillor announced his move to the Labour party earlier today, following in the footsteps of Catherine Harris, ward councillor for Noel Park, who defected last November.
She left after finding the party was failing to tackle "real" issues such as housing.
Mr Demirci attacked his former colleagues as having "no vision, no plans and no real concept of the injustice that exists in Haringey".
The 32-year-old said: "I became involved in politics because I wanted to fight injustice and I am joining Labour today because I believe that they are the party who have the best policies to tackle poverty and inequality in Haringey and across London.
"The Liberal Democrat party is nothing but a protest party."
The move comes amid rumours of growing disquiet among Lib Dem members, particularly some from an ethnic minority background, who reportedly feel undervalued within the group.
Justin Hinchcliffe, of the Tottenham Conservatives, said: "If you look at the Lib Dems in Haringey, they are not reflecting the make-up of the borough. It is largely made up of middle class men who are simply using Haringey to further their political ambitions.
"They have some very good people elected but they don't use them to their full potential. This will not be the last defection."
Councillor Demirci's resignation comes a week after the Liberal Democrats were celebrating their tenth anniversary and will come as a blow to the party's newly-elected leader, Councillor Robert Gorrie.
Mr Gorrie said: "I am disappointed by Ali's departure and was looking forward to working with him. And I am disappointed for residents in Bounds Green who elected a Lib Dem councillor in 2006."Labour have been responsible for Haringey's poverty, inequality and injustice for the last 40 years and as a result hasn't gained a council seat at an election in the borough for 14 years."The Lib Dems are a united and forward looking group. Two councillors who didn't share this vision of a brighter future for Haringey residents are likely to struggle within what is already a bitterly divided Labour group."Mr Demirci's departure now widens the gap between the two parties, one that the Lib Dems have campaigned hard to bridge. There are now 32 Labour councillors and only 25 Lib Dems.
Councillor George Meehan, Leader of Haringey Labour group, believes the Lib Dems are failing to engage the community and bring about change.
He said he was "delighted" to welcome Mr Demirci to the Labour Group.
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