Labour walkout on parent protest

4.49.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 27th May 2009

Lib Dem group leader Chris Maines labelled the walkout "a disgrace"

Lewisham's Labour politicians were slammed by parents and opposition councillors as they walked out of a council meeting at the Town Hall in Catford last week.

The walkout followed protests by Lewisham Bridge parents who had packed the public gallery in order to listen to a debate on the future of Lewisham Bridge Primary School.

Liberal Democrat councillors backed the motion in support of the new school on the Lewisham Bridge site but were critical of the Labour Mayor Steve Bullock for his failure over seven years to provide the much needed new secondary school.

Leader of the Lib Dem group Cllr Chris Maines said, "We support the Lewisham Bridge site as the most viable option for the new school but that does not mean that we should stifle debate or stick our heads in the sand. For Labour councillors to walk out and abandon the debate is an absolute disgrace."

Cllr Dan Houghton said, "Yes parents were noisy and angry, but we are public servants, paid from the public purse and walking out of meetings is not the way to address parents' concerns with this matter. Labour councillors have been in power in Lewisham for so long that they have totally lost touch with reality."