Lib Dems could lose Sheffield as Clegg says no future as a left party

As the Lib Dem Conference starts in Liverpool, the party risks of losing control of Sheffield City Council, the city of leader Nick Clegg's constituency. Lib Dem councillor Ben Curran's defection to Labour follows Sharron Brook in Barnsley, Ian Jobling in Liverpool and three Lib Dem resignations in Cheshire. Top that with Clegg’s announcement that the Lib Dems have no future as a left party, and we could be in for an interesting few days.

On Friday Lib Dem councillor Ben Curran defected to Labour in Sheffield, blaming the "savage cuts" of the coalition. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-11347619 With the Lib Dems now on 41 seats, Labour 39, Green 2, Independents 1 and a vacancy in a Labour held ward, the door is open for a coalition to take power, depending on a vote of no confidence against council leader Paul Scriven.

As well as citing the cuts for his defection, Cllr Curran also slammed the ‘disgraceful decision’ to cancel a government loan to the local Forgemaster company, destroying the prospect of 200 new jobs in the area.

As if to rub salt into the wounds of ‘progressive’ Liberals and a party founded on an alliance with defecting right wing Labour MPs, Clegg tells today’s Independent that there is ‘no future’ for the Lib Dems as a party of the left. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nick-clegg-there-is-no-future-for-us-as-a-party-of-the-left-2082689.html

Meanwhile, Barnsley’s only Lib Dem councillor has moved to Labour. Sharron Brook had been on the council since 2003. Her decision to switch to Labour, which controls the council, came after she was briefed on the government’s plans for children’s services, reports the BBC.

On top of this, a few weeks ago Lib Dem councillors Bob Bryant, Chris Carlin and Peter Blackmore resigned from the party on Cheshire’s Halton Borough Council. Bob Bryant said, "I wasn't elected to be some nodding dog for the Tories - we didn't campaign in the last election to see really damaging cuts in spending." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-11177496