A Liverpool Labour Party branch has condemned one of its local councillors for breaking the whip and voting against the party's budget this week.
Knotty Ash Councillor Alison Clarke, was one of seven rebel Labour councillors who broke ranks and voted against the ruling city group's budget in the town hall on Wednesday night.
The rebel group could now be expelled from Labour altogether and have hinted at plans to form a breakaway political group.
READ MORE: Tense live interview as Labour councillors turn on each other
Last night, at a meeting of the Knotty Ash and West Derby Labour branch, an emergency motion was passed which expressed its 'deep disappointment' in the decision taken by Cllr Clarke.
The motion stated: "This branch understands the immense pressure and personal conflicts members may have with any given budget proposals or policy positions, but we are clear on who is to blame for over a decade of brutal cuts to our council. The Tory government and Liberal Democrats who enabled them for five years.
"We believe our Labour representatives should hold themselves to the highest standards, working collectively as one Labour family and abiding by the principle of collective responsibility, showing a united Labour front."
The motion added: "The people of Knotty Ash put their fait in our Labour Party to make a difference in the community and to lead our city through uncertain and difficult times. This branch believes Councillor Clarke has abdicated that responsibility and by doing so, she put at risk the continuation of the Citizens Support Scheme, our leisure centres and libraries and up to 400 jobs which Unison believe would have been at risk should an illegal budget have been passed."
The Labour rebels have repeatedly insisted that they were not advocating for an illegal budget to be approved - stating that they believe there were alternatives to the budget proposals put forward.
The branch motion said it was 'aware of the possibility of a new political grouping grouping formed on the council' - a potential move previously reported by the ECHO.
It added: "Should Councillor Clarke join this, this branch strongly believes that she should do the right thing and stand down as a city councillor.
"The electorate of Knotty Ash voted for a Labour Councillor. If Councillor Clarke is to operate in a different political grouping, she should allow residents to have their say at the ballot box at the earliest opportunity."
Responding to the motion, Cllr Clarke released the following statement to the ECHO.
She said: "In voting against the budget I was not abandoning socialist principles; I was defending them.
"I was not elected to make life more difficult for the residents of Knotty Ash during a cost of living crisis.
"We have increased council tax by 1% specifically to fund social care and the Tory government is also raising national insurance for the same purpose.
"My conscience would not allow me to ask residents to accept cuts whilst paying more for social care.
"These cuts will affect the most vulnerable in our communities and after over 40 years working as a health care professional I was hoping for more from the administration.
"I was not elected to cut social care or charge for green bins.
"Alternative proposals were put forward but rejected as ‘not robust’ with little debate and scrutiny.
"Reserves have risen £10 million. These reserves are meant for a rainy day and in my view it is raining torrentially on the residents of our city now.
"I could not defend raising reserves from 20 to 30 million in these circumstances.
"We have not advocated for an illegal budget and it is untrue to say we have put services and jobs at risk.
"My decision was extremely difficult and ultimately made with the Knotty Ash residents at the heart of it. I could not support passing on Tory cuts - enough is enough. There are always choices. We can make better ones."
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