'Colourful' councillor signs up to Lib Dems
A SOME times controversial councillor has signed up to the city's ruling party.
Long serving Gower councillor Richard Lewis has joined the Lib Dem party, bringing their numbers in the council chamber up to 24.
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Councillor Richard Lewis
Labour have the most councillors, but the Lib Dems are aligned with the independent members and the council's single Plaid member, giving them a majority in the civic centre of 38 compared to Labour's 30 members and the Tories' four.
Councillor Lewis has often courted controversy for his outspoken views — he was blocked from becoming Swansea's Lord Mayor in 2003 and earlier this year he was heard making remarks about a "French frog company".
However, in March his council colleagues unanimously elected him to the position of deputy Lord Mayor — the motion was moved by council leader Chris Holley and seconded by Labour leader David Phillips.
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by Gaynor, United Kingdom
Monday, May 25 2009, 2:49PM
“Geoff - it's called a memory, something which is quite short in some people.”
by ERIC, Llanelli
Saturday, May 23 2009, 3:31PM
“Well what ever Party he was in , thats what the people voted for him to come in as, AND not cross over to another party till the next Elections. They can all do that. come out as Joe Blogs and then go over to a party that is in POWER, after been Elected, should stand down,”
by geoff, mumbles
Saturday, May 23 2009, 11:12AM
“CLIFFsketty you moan about everything that happens on the evening post i was waiting for your comments on this one you never fail to amuse ME.LOL...Gaynor Swansea what is your point on Mr Lewis tho?”
by darth vader, Uplands
Saturday, May 23 2009, 10:07AM
“The only thing colourful about this is the lib dems pretending that this Pauline conversion to Lib Demmery is any thing more than a "deal" to shore up the fracturing and flinterring of Swansea's very own
chaos@taxpayerexpense.com..Roll on 2012 to say good bye to these venal self servers to be unceremoniously kicked into the long grass of knackered buffoonery!”
by hugh, Marina
Saturday, May 23 2009, 2:33AM
“Within Wales historically there has beeen an honourablle traditioion of people swapping party loyalties ,within reason.
As a member of Plaid Cymru , having been brought up within the tradition of Montgomeryshire Liberalism I understand this.
And if I didn't belive that peoples views couldn't be changed by reasoned argument I wolud never have got involved in politics in the first place.
But the transformation of Richard Lewis, who has some admirable qualities as a maverick independant /sometimes Ukip candidate into a pro euro lib dem is a miracle.
If the lib dems can prove it is true, i may have to renounce my atheism!”
by Grant, Green Party
Friday, May 22 2009, 6:07PM
“We feel left out Cllr Lewis, we're the only political party you haven't been a member of!”
by sma, swansea
Friday, May 22 2009, 3:17PM
“I remember Kattoys, I used to buy bog rolls from there in bulk for the staff loo's where I used to work. I remember Richard Lewis then. From bog rolls to bog standard Parliament, what a come down in life!”
by Ross Silly, Sketty
Friday, May 22 2009, 2:35PM
“Look back through the post archive dated 19 November 2008.
READ
Dallas style mansion, under the radar, where was councillor Lewis when this application was being determined.”
by Cliff, Sketty
Friday, May 22 2009, 2:20PM
“Did not Mr Lewis not " miss " the recent planning application on his ward by a millionaire Hotel owner in Swansea.”
by Gaynor, Swansea
Friday, May 22 2009, 1:57PM
“Geoff, Mumbles - I remember Kattoys when I was a little girl and it was a revolting shop and I hated it when we got off the train from Gowerton because my mother would drag me in there.”