Reform UK councillor condemns political smears before calling rivals Marxist
PLUS: A hospital trust in Lancashire will come under scrutiny as part of a national review
Hello and welcome to The Lancashire Lead.
This week we report on a Reform UK councillor at Lancashire County Council who risked making a very good point in calling for more respectful language to be used in political debate - before immediately calling rivals Marxist and stating ‘the left’ is responsible for language that puts him at risk.
Of course - Cllr Graham Dalton has a point and we should be condemning all political violence and those who advocate for it. But boiling it down into a left vs right debate when there are victims of political violence in all backgrounds, does leave his take open to criticism.
We also report that the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust’s maternity and neonatal services will be examined as part of a national investigation into “failures” at 14 NHS trusts.
'Don’t use inflammatory political language like my Marxist rivals do’
By Luke Beardsworth
A video posted by a Reform UK councillor at County Hall has caused cross-party bewilderment.
Cllr Graham Dalton, representing the party for Lancaster Rural North, cited the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in stating the need for a ‘serious chat’ about the language used in online and real-world political discourse.
But while he condemned language such as ‘fascist’ and ‘far-right’, he followed that by describing behaviour from Labour, the Green Party and the Lib Dems as ‘straight out of the Marxist playbook’.
And despite in late August tweeting that ‘it’s not about left or right - it’s about right and wrong’, Cllr Dalton said that the left is to blame for ‘weaponisation’ rather than the right.
He said: “In today's political climate, the real weaponisation isn't coming from the right. It's embedded in the rhetoric of the left. Activists aligned with Labour, the Greens, the Lib Dems, routinely deploy inflammatory labels like fascist, far right, and such like to smear anyone who questions their orthodoxy.
“It's a tactic straight out of the Marxist playbook. Delegitimise your opposition, not through debate, but through moral panic.”
He added to conclude his video: “Ideological name-calling is not on. It's time to end the weaponisation of language and to bring back the integrity to politics.”
But the video has left rival politicians baffled with one Labour councillor saying the role of a county councillor should be to serve residents rather than ‘stoke culture wars’.
Samara Barnes, Labour county councillor for Rossendale West, told The Lancashire Lead: “This video is designed to stoke culture wars, pitting people against each other. Criticising anyone who cares to call out Reform, talks about dangerous political discourse, whilst clearly slating anyone who sits to the left of his politics.
“As county councillors we have a responsibility to our residents, not to stoke up division - but that is exactly what he is doing.
“Comments like this will leave many of us more unsafe. People feel more emboldened to abuse us online and in person and if we question anything, we are told that we are trying to shut down free speech.
“Being a county councillor is about supporting residents. Not turning people against each other.”
And the Lib Dems said it was ‘ironic’ that he followed up a fair point about language with calling his political rivals ‘Marxist’.
Mark Jewell, Lib Dem county councillor for Preston South West, told The Lancashire Lead: "We agree with Graham that political violence is never acceptable and language is important. It is somewhat ironic that he proceeds to call Lib Dem rhetoric Marxist.
“The Lib Dems in Lancashire continue to hold this Reform controlled council to account, but never with personal abuse.
“Whether it is delays to getting our new schools, continuing with the bus gate in Preston or partially closing our libraries, these are the issues our residents care about.”
Recommended reading this week
🗣️ The leader of Lancashire County Council - Reform's Stephen Atkinson - has denied claims that the party has become "a refuge for Tory rejects". The issue was discussed on Politics North West on Sunday after reporting by our sister title The Blackpool Lead brought to light the comments from Jim O’Neill - who leads the Reform group at Blackpool Council. More here.
📚 A high number of staff absences at a Preston primary school means that Lancashire County Council is monitoring the situation. Eldon Primary School, at Eldon Street in Plungington, has a number of members of staff absent as the school year begins. The school has been in flux since it was controversially rated as Inadequate following an Ofsted inspection in March 2024, with the report published after a delay in September 2024. Blog Preston reports here.
🌎 An East Lancashire councillor will not face criminal charges over a social media comment she posted about the shooting of American right-wing figure Charlie Kirk. On Thursday, Burnley’s Cllr Fiona Wild quit after her remarks on Facebook about the death of the 31-year-old father of two, who was shot dead during a political debate at Utah Valley University. Full story.
Morecambe Bay area hospitals to be examined as part of national investigation into maternity services
By Michael Holmes
The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust’s maternity and neonatal services will be examined as part of a national investigation into “failures” at 14 NHS trusts, the Department of Health and Social Care has announced.
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