Call for Burnley MP to step down from council role
1:00pm Monday 13th February 2012 in News
A COUNCILLOR has called on Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle to step down from his town hall seat after only attending 25 per cent of meetings.
But the outraged MP has said at least one of his absences helped to secure £9million for Burnley’s new University Technical College (UTC) development.
He was urged to quit by Brunshaw Labour councillor Mark Townsend at a full council meeting at Burnley Town Hall.
Coun Townsend said he thought it was ‘a bit rich’ for Liberal Democrat Mr Birtwistle to ‘grandstand’ about his efforts to regenerate the town.
He said: “He has not been representing his ward in this council chamber - from figures given to us at the last full council he only had 25 per cent attendance.
“If he does not want to be part of this council then he should stand down.”
But later Mr Birtwistle, who still represents Coal Clough with Deerplay ward on the borough council, said he had no intention of quitting.
“One of the meetings I am said to have missed is when I took the decision to remain at Westminster because we were discussing the money for the UTC,” he said.
“The council meeting is important but not as important as securing £9.5million for the college.
“I have always had a good attendance level before but when it comes to fighting for the UTC, support from the Regional Growth Fund for the Todmorden Curve and the new railway station then that is just as important.”
Currently the council is finely balanced with 21 members of the ruling Lib Dem group, 18 Labour, five Conservatives and one British National Party representative.
Comments(14)
living the end times in BB1
says...
1:17pm Mon 13 Feb 12
Exactly how much money has Townsend generated for the town or what has he done for the town.?
Dusty Snatchmonger
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1:34pm Mon 13 Feb 12
masher50
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1:58pm Mon 13 Feb 12
Heretical
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2:56pm Mon 13 Feb 12
Methinks that he may be trying to raise his profile with the 'powers that be' if I were cynical...
I fail to see why he should retain his Council seat here and be the MP at the same time.
Surely a man of his incredible talent and breadth can still raise the profile and work for the constituency he supposedly represents,loves and lives in without the security of a seat at Council as well.Or is it just 'belt and braces' for 'our Gordon'.
mrdd186
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2:59pm Mon 13 Feb 12
Interocitor
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3:17pm Mon 13 Feb 12
People didn't vote Lib Dem in order to have our NHS ripped to pieces while being fed to Tory friendly companies.
Time for the Lib Dems to show us what they are made of! If they don't, it will be bye-bye time for many of them at the next GE and that includes Birtwistle.
ABBEY ROAD
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3:31pm Mon 13 Feb 12
Izanears
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4:12pm Mon 13 Feb 12
beam-me-up
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7:21pm Mon 13 Feb 12
psch
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7:47pm Mon 13 Feb 12
district01
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1:14pm Tue 14 Feb 12
All politicians seem to be doing these days is to act like children. Falling out purely because of political ill feelings does not do anyone any good. It’s all become just a game. If all those that had to stand down because they didn’t do what anyone else felt they should have done then there’d be nobody left!
New Labour? - If all of the ‘Tony Blair’ children stepped down to allow a proper Labour party to return would be the answer to everyone’s problems. New Labour are nothing other than a pretend Tory party!
Signed: A life long Labour supporter until sadly let down by Tony Blair’s pretend party!
DaveBurnley
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8:18am Wed 15 Feb 12
district01 wrote:You're quite right about NuLabour. Blair and his cronies stole what was once our party and used it to enrich himself (and his cronies) beyond his dreams.
I do feel sorry for politicians - NOT!
All politicians seem to be doing these days is to act like children. Falling out purely because of political ill feelings does not do anyone any good. It’s all become just a game. If all those that had to stand down because they didn’t do what anyone else felt they should have done then there’d be nobody left!
New Labour? - If all of the ‘Tony Blair’ children stepped down to allow a proper Labour party to return would be the answer to everyone’s problems. New Labour are nothing other than a pretend Tory party!
Signed: A life long Labour supporter until sadly let down by Tony Blair’s pretend party!
RAyzer
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6:18pm Wed 15 Feb 12
everywhere is sh1t says...
1:09pm Mon 13 Feb 12