Desperate Town Hall Labour Axe Debate on Marie Louise Gardens

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 10th Oct 2007

Manchester's Labour councillors have been slammed for controversially axing a debate on moves to make the City Council abandon its plans to sell off part of Marie Louise Gardens - one of South Manchester's top beauty spots.

"The Labour councillors have shown a shocking contempt for the 6,000 people who have signed petition against the sell-off," said Didsbury West Lib Dem Councillor Graham Shaw.

The Liberal Democrat motion called on the council to rule out selling the land for development. Marie Louise Gardens was given to the people of Manchester on condition that it be kept for recreational use.

But Manchester's Labour Leader Sir Richard Leese used his majority on the City Council to force the motion to be withdrawn before the debate had been completed.

"Labour are running scared. Scrapping a debate part way through is an abuse of their position. They know people in South Manchester are completely opposed to this sell-off. But they don't have the courage to come clean on whether they will see through their plans to sell-off part of the park," said Councillor Shaw.

Manchester Withington MP John Leech also urged the council to rule out the sell-off:

"By refusing to rule out selling this parkland, they are showing contempt for the memory of Josephine Silkenstadt, the woman who gave the land to the people of Manchester, contempt for the 6,000 people who have signed the petition, and contempt for the West Didsbury Residents Association who have worked so hard to save this parkland," said John Leech MP.

"Labour councillors showed their true colours today by stifling this debate. They are cowards and don't even have the decency to answer this one simple question:

"Will they or won't they sell off part of Marie Louise Gardens?"

John Leech MP concluded:

"The Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for Marie Louise Gardens to be kept intact."

End