A politician vying to be Labour’s candidate in a key seat at the next general election has ‘held his hands up’ to behaviour that ‘fell below that expected of a councillor'. Coun Liam O’Rourke, Rochdale council’s environment chief, has been shortlisted for Heywood and Middleton when the nation next goes to the polls.
Currently held by Chris Clarkson - the constituency’s first ever Tory MP - it will no doubt be a target for Labour as it looks to rebuild its ‘red wall’ across the north of England. Coun O’Rourke has admitted he ‘spoke too plainly’ to officers at a meeting in Heywood in October, for which he later made a public apology.
Minutes from the last meeting of Heywood Township’s delegated sub committee - say he ‘acknowledged that his behaviour on that evening fell below that expected of a councillor and recognised that the tone and comments made were not acceptable'.
READ MORE: Labour left ‘flabbergasted’ as veteran councillor declares he is making a surprise comeback - with the Tories
Contacted about the matter after making his bid to become a parliamentary candidate, the North Heywood councillor said he ‘held his hands up’ to the mistake - but would always stand up for residents who have been let down.
"In a meeting we were told that Heywood Christmas lights wouldn't be ready in time, which I knew would disappoint local residents,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. “I didn't use any inappropriate language, but the officer involved felt I expressed my disappointment too plainly. I apologised for that as soon as I had the opportunity to do so.”
