Veteran Southport local Councillor Tony Dawson has announced he will be re-standing as an Independent Councillor to represent the Dukes Ward. Dukes Ward consists of the central areas of Southport and west Birkdale (Shoreside).


Councillor Dawson made a breakthrough win in Southport's Dukes Ward in 2012 being then the only non-Conservative to ever win that seat in almost 40 years. He was re-elected four years later with a greatly-increased majority. Although originally elected as a Liberal Democrat, Tony Dawson has not been a member of the Lib Dems for over two years.


The Southport Liberal Democrats' Executive committee voted recently that they would not put up a candidate to oppose Councillor Dawson's re-election. This decision was supported by all ten Lib Dem councillors representing the town.


Tony Dawson said:

"The Lib Dems in Southport and I have continued to co-operate well since I ceased to be a Party member. I was grateful to hear that Southport Lib Dems decided that the people of Dukes Ward deserve to have a chance to continue to receive my services - which the voters endorsed by significantly increasing my majority when i last stood for re-election."

"At four successive elections, Councillor John Pugh and I have both been been re-elected through receiving hundreds of votes on an individual basis from conservatives, socialists and even some UKIP supporters - as well as many liberals."

"Due to the thousands of individual cases in which I have helped individuals over the years I possibly know more Southport people personally than almost any other person in the town. I hope the residents of Dukes Ward will want to keep me working hard as an independent councillor for them all alongside councillors John Pugh and Ron Watson."

So when did he cease to be a Lib Dem? Why weren't his constituents informed? I believe he was expelled from the party. Why?

Originally Posted by salus.populi

So when did he cease to be a Lib Dem? Why weren't his constituents informed? I believe he was expelled from the party. Why?

Perhaps he is a democrat so they expelled him.

I think this raises more questions than answers:

Originally Posted by roving-eye

Although originally elected as a Liberal Democrat, Tony Dawson has not been a member of the Lib Dems for over two years.

Should electorate not know why he was expelled from the party or left and how come it’s not been clear that he’s not a Lib Dem for some time, is that not deemed relevant and not exactly transparent? Especially if a serious reason for suspension, should we not know?

The Southport Liberal Democrats' Executive committee voted recently that they would not put up a candidate to oppose Councillor Dawson's re-election. This decision was supported by all ten Lib Dem councillors representing the town.

Then who’s David Newman and if the Lib Dem’s aren’t in control of who to put forward as a Lib Dem then are they not even more ineffective? Guess it makes sense to John Pughs random “opening up of the party” release a few weeks ago.

"Due to the thousands of individual cases in which I have helped individuals over the years I possibly know more Southport people personally than almost any other person in the town. I hope the residents of Dukes Ward will want to keep me working hard as an independent councillor for them all alongside councillors John Pugh and Ron Watson."

He was paid case worker to the towns MP so for a significant period it was his job and there are the negatives in how he (and his other libs) don’t want to work with other parties unless it suits them.

The local Lib Dem’s look incredibly chaotic so be very hard to justify a vote in their direction and all they’ve done is possibly split their own votes up in that liberals will vote for Newman and Dawson fans will vote for Dawson, it’s not likely to create a seismic shift of other party votes.

It is interesting whether party “leader” John Pugh will accept Newman into his team if he wins.

09/04/2021 17h06 Username2016 says:

"Then who’s David Newman …"

David Newman steps forward for Merseyside
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Tony Dawson in Dukes ward
election results:

year	votes	%	win
2011¹	1152	30%	no
2012²	0996	30%	yes
2016³	1496	45%	yes

Sefton Council Elections
1. Thursday 5th May, 2011
2. Thursday 3rd May, 2012
3. Thursday 5th May, 2016

In Council elections FPTP is no less pernicious than at general elections. Tony Dawson lost in 2011 with 1,152 votes representing 30% of votes cast. The following year he prevailed with only 996 votes, again 30% of total votes cast in that ward. In 2016 he gained 1,496 votes; still only 45%!

Tony Dawson

"…the people of Dukes Ward deserve to have a chance to continue to receive my services - which the voters endorsed by significantly increasing my majority when i last stood for re-election.

At four successive elections, Councillor John Pugh and I have both been been re-elected through receiving hundreds of votes on an individual basis from conservatives, socialists and even some UKIP supporters - as well as many liberals."

Select Councillors randomly and get a better Council!