Salford’s two Lib Dem councillors have joined a newly formed opposition group, in a dramatic shake up of the town hall’s politics. Lib Dems Paul Heilbron and Jonathan Moore, who both represent the Quays ward, have agreed to join unwhipped – an alliance of councillors formed to hold the Labour-run local authority to account. They will remain Lib Dems alongside being part of the new group. They’re joining Andrew Walters – an independent councillor in Kersal and Broughton Park – who is acting as unwhipped’s leader. Mr Walters was elected to Salford council as a Lib Dem in May 2021, but left the group a year later, going on to successfully stand as an independent. He claimed on X that the formation of the new group means the ‘end of two-party politics’ at Salford council – which is dominated by Labour but has a Conservative opposition of seven councillors. He continued to say that Salford Labour councillors who are ‘fed up’ of Keir Starmer telling them what to do and say could join unwhipped and help them to become the biggest opposition group on the council. He added: ‘The party is ‘unwhipped’, both in name and in nature. I am still independent and shall continue to do and speak in the best interest of constituents. ‘I am honoured to have been appointed Group Leader, and look forward to continue working with Salford mayor (whom I greatly respect and admire) and other colleagues in improving my constituents’ lives.’ In a letter to Salford council’s chief executive, Mr Walters wrote that the new group assumes some of the rights given to the Conservative opposition group will also be given to them. This includes the right to sit in on confidential briefings, attend regular meetings with the city mayor and council’s chief executive, and to have a group office. A constitution for unwhipped states that the new group has ‘no intention of instructing its members what to do or say’, but that otherwise unaffiliated councillors ‘must work together’ to ensure they can fully participate in council business. Mr Heilbron, who will act as unwhipped’s deputy leader, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he and Mr Moore remain Lib Dems despite joining the alliance. He will continue to act as Lib Dem Group leader, alongside his role at unwhipped. He said: “Forming a group provides myself and councillor Moore many privileges that we couldn’t access unless we formed an official group to hold the council to account and do the best for residents of Salford Quays, Media City, and Ordsall Lane. “The group is for in the chamber only, outside the chamber myself and councillor Moore will continue to work tirelessly all year round for our constituents.” The two Lib Dem councillors were both elected this year, Mr Heilbron winning his seat during a by-election in January, and Mr Moore at the local elections on May 2. Mr Moore won his seat ahead of Salford Labour candidate Liz McCoy, with a margin of just 38 votes. But Salford Quays Labour questioned whether residents who voted Lib Dem would understand the reasons behind the councillors joining the new group. They wrote on X: ‘Confused? You will be. An independent councillor, who supports Salford council’s Labour leader, is now leading the Salford Lib Dems, claiming the so-called “two party” politics is over by reducing the number of independent members and parties. ‘A question to Quays Lib Dem voters: did you know you were voting for this?’ A Salford City Council spokesperson said: “Salford City Council has received a communication about the formation of a new political group in Salford. The council will respond formally to this in due course.”
