Councillor Dylan Tippetts joins the Liberal Democrats
Cllr Dylan Tippetts, who represents Compton ward on Plymouth City Council, has this week joined the Liberal Democrats and will now sit as a Lib Dem councillor.
He resigned from Labour last Friday, stating that the party “has thrown transgender people under the bus and has taken us back decades.”
Cllr Tippetts (pictured, left) said:
“I first got into politics to give people a voice who may not otherwise have one. For me, that means always standing up for equal rights for all.
“In the face of rising far-right populism, the Liberal Democrats are not running away from the battle for equal rights for all. They are the party of fairness, even when the going gets tough. I'm proud to be joining the Liberal Democrats and joining the battle for the future of our city and the future of our country.
“I meant what I said to the trans community when I got elected. Your voice matters. I will always make sure trans voices are listened to and valued in this period of turbulence and division our country faces.
“In Compton ward, I am proud to have stood with residents on difficult planning issues, when the buses got cut, and when basic services haven't been delivered. Thank you to the wonderful people of Compton, Mannamead, Mutley and Hartley Vale for your support over the past three years. I look forward to continuing to stand with you and working to make things better for you until the end of my term.”
Responding, chair of Plymouth Liberal Democrats, Stuart Bonar, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Dylan to the Liberal Democrats. It is fantastic that there will now be a Liberal Democrat voice in the council chamber.
“Learning about Dylan’s decision to leave Labour, I am reminded of what the Lib Dems are all about. Put simply, we believe that everyone should be able to live their lives as who they are, free to pursue their dreams and fulfil their potential, safe in the knowledge that their fundamental rights will be protected. That is at the heart of what it means to be a Liberal Democrat, and that’s why Dylan should feel fully at home in our party.
“The Lib Dems are growing fast, both locally and nationally. Nationwide there are now more Lib Dem MPs than there have been for more than a century, and more MPs here in Devon are from the Lib Dems than from any other party. On top of that, at the local elections a fortnight ago the Liberal Democrats won more council seats and control of more councils than either Labour or the Conservatives.
“Looking at what is happening more widely, with the Government scrapping winter fuel payments to over 10 million pensioners as well as cutting benefits to disabled people, it is no surprise that more and more people are turning to the Liberal Democrats. I would encourage them to follow Dylan’s lead and join us.”