Former Labour councillor Valerie Harris today made a blistering attack on her former party colleagues as she defected to the Liberal Democrats.

Mrs Harris, a former Labour whip on Oxford City Council, said the main reason for the cross-party move was the cuts in public services carried out by Labour.

Her main criticism was the effect of spending cuts on education and public transport, which she said was leaving rural Oxfordshire cut off from the rest of the county. Mrs Harris, Labour city councillor for the Oxford West ward from 1994 until her retirement last year, said: "Since coming to power in 1997, Labour have continued Tory spending cuts - letting down those of us who thought they would improve vital services like health and education." She criticised the Labour group for what she called a lack of free speech, adding it was a "dictatorial leadership". Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrat MP Evans Harris said he was "delighted" by Mrs Harris's move. "This shows that Labour's failure to deliver decent public services, better public transport and improved safety from crime, has led to deep disillusionment in the ranks," he said.

City council leader John Tanner said: "I am sorry that she is parting company with the Labour Party."

Story date: Friday 03 September

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