It's a parable of how the broad church of Old Labour has become the even broader church of New Labour. Former Tory leader of Sefton Council Les Byrom defected to Labour last June. It wasn't disputed by anyone associated with Byrom that he left the Tories in a fit of pique, his fairly lucrative tenure, at least by local government standards, as chairman of the local fire authority brought to an abrupt end.
Now, however, Byrom has been rewarded with a cushy quango job. He has been appointed chairman of the Business Community Safety Forum (BCSF) by the government (http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2008/10/25/tory-defector-councillor-lands-a-government-job-64375-22114019/ ).
During the 80s the Tories controlled Sefton Council with a zeal which was characteristic of the time; indeed, their avarice & deep-seated venality raised eyebrows at Conservative Central Office. No opportunity was wasted in lavishing expenditure on the Tory-voting north of the borough, particularly Southport, at the expense of solidly Labour Bootle. Byrom eagerly championed such squalid chicanery.
The post is worth £3,000 per annum plus expenses. Byrom beams, "I look forward to the challenge."
I bet he does.
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