Finally – a Focus leaflet I can get behind

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Update: I was lucky enough to speak to Councillor Brook this afternoon. She is a friendly, engaging and honest person – exactly the kind of person we need in local politics, saying that all she can offer local people is “hard work and truthfulness”.

She said that she put out the leaflet beacuse she “can’t work with Tories”, and that they’re “miles away” from where she is politically. She also had harsh words for the Lib Dems nationally, saying that “they’ve reneged on everything in the manifesto”. She said that she wanted to canvass opinions from her constituents because:

“It wasn’t up to me – it’s up to those who elected me.”

I told her about the comments that we’ve had on LabourList, Twitter and Facebook this afternoon, some saying that she was brave. She was having none of it though. I asked her point blank if it had been a brave decision, and she replied:

“No, I think it was the right decision.”

Sharron says she’ll leave politics, and the Lib Dems, when her term of office ends. If anyone from Barnsley Labour is reading this, get in touch with her – she’s far too good to lose from public service, and some might say, she’d make an excellent Labour councillor…

Lib Dem Councillor Sharron Brook has put out this letter to residents of her Dearne South Ward in Barnsley. All I can say is that I hope the people of Dearne South choose option 2 in this unusual by-election…