No doorstep call ahead of elections
FORTHCOMING elections, which will see one-third of the 66 Sefton Council seats contested and which had been due to take place in 2020 only to be delayed during the Covid-19 pandemic, are due to happen this spring.
Councillors whose term was due to finish were kept in the role for an additional year and the polling day pushed back to Thursday, May 6.
Normally, this time of year would see campaigning activity pick up in the run-up to the election but the current situation has forced parties to rethink their plans.
As such, the
Conservative Association locally, in agreement with the party’s stance nationally, took the decision to cease all door-to-door campaigning due to new Government restrictions.
The local group decided that although it could be argued that leaflets can still be delivered, it would be irresponsible to continue this kind of campaigning in these circumstances.
They are now hoping that other local parties will follow their lead, and hold off on campaigning in earnest until closer to May’s election, when restrictions will hopefully be less strict and cases significantly lower.
Cllr Tony Brough, chairman of the Southport Conservative Association, said: ‘It would not be in the spirit of the present law and the present time to continue to hand-deliver political literature.
“We don’t want to expose people, particularly the vulnerable, to any additional risk or in any way undermine the efforts being made by the Government to reduce the spread of the virus.
“We will continue to engage in campaigning that requires no interaction in preparation for the election in May, such as through social media and limited leaflet delivery through Royal Mail or other courier.
“The association hopes that our friends in the local Labour and Liberal Democratic Associations will follow suit.”