Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
Your Lib Dem team for Cheadle West & Gatley Learn more
by Lib Dem team on 19 December, 2010
There’s little new in the world. Although the Liberals would be supporting the Labour government just a few years later, Labour in Cheadle were keen to portray the Liberals and Conservatives as one and the same in the February 1974 election.
In this leaflet from the Hazel Grove constituency, Manchester councillor Allan Roberts lays out his stall for Labour. It was always going to be an uphill struggle in this Conservative/Liberal marginal – the Liberals held the seat in the February election with Labour getting just shy of 11% of the vote.
In ’74 he was Chair of Manchester’s Housing Committee, which may explain the existence of “Allan Roberts Close” in Blackley, Manchester.
Allan, on the left of the Labour party, got his reward – being handed the safe seat of Bootle at the 1979 General Election. Sadly, he died of cancer aged just 46 in 1990.
1 Comment
I worked for Manchester Housing Department while Roberts was the Committee Chair. My views about him are not repeatable in polite company but, suffice to say, many employees (of all political persuasions) were relieved when he became a MP and could do further damage to morale.
“On the left of the party”? Hah!