 |
 |
 |
Gagged Lib Dems Protest Over Tory Silencing
May 18, 2011 12:01 AM
Gagged - Lib Dems (from back left) Peter Downes, Kilian Bourke, Fiona Whelan, Sarah Whitebread, Caroline Shepherd, Kevin Wilkins, Susan van de Ven, Belinda Brooks-Gordon, Lucy Nethsingha and Ian Manning stage their silent protest.
Gagged Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats staged a silent protest on the steps of the county council HQ on Wednesday, May 17 2011 against Tory plans to shut them up.
The furious councillors, wearing duct tape over their mouths gathered on the steps of Shire Hall to object to rule changes rushed through at Cambridgeshire County Council which will limit the amount of time they will have to question Tory decisions.
They claim the move, introduced just days after new Tory Leader, Nick Clarke, took control, is "undemocratic".
Lib Dem Leader, Fiona Whelan said: "The Tories are doing everything in their power to silence the opposition. We are democratically elected representatives for the people in our towns and villages and they have a right to be heard. The Tories talk about localism but they are just hollow words.
"These new rules give us very little time to question the decisions being made by the ruling Tory group. That is not acceptable."
The changes include abolishing all discussion and questions on Cabinet decisions. Instead, councillors will have just one hour for oral questions. Lib Dems could get as little as three oral questions.
Written questions will be limited to 13 and Lib Dems will get as few as five.
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats