Political defections - part two - the perfect defection?

9.15.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 14th Jul 2006

Nadia Fazal (seen with Councillor Ian Shires) joining the Liberal Democrats

Nadia Fazal, who was the RESPECT candidate for Walsall South at the General Election has defected to the Liberal Democrats in Walsall. Earlier on in the week I wrote about defections, due to two Conservative Councillors defecting to Labour on Walsall Council and of course I knew Nadia was on the verge of defecting.

Nadia has thought long and hard about her decision, which is based on policy - Iraq in particular but also Yvonne Ridley's comments that Muslims should not co-operate with the police after Forest Gate. Nadia was also concerned with the conflicts within RESPECT between the former SWP and the Muslim members.

Nadia has also met with the Liberal Democrats over a couple of months to discuss this and the Liberal Democrats questioned her on her beliefs to ensure she was a Liberal Democrat. After deciding to defect Nadia told RESPECT so it would not come as a surprise which to me seems very honorable. Nadia is not a Councillor so the question of by-elections does not appear in this case.

Has Nadia's defection been the perfect defection? It would certainly come close in my opinion. Having met her several times I hope she becomes very active in the party and maybe can emulate her father who was a Member of Parliament (albeit for the Labour Party).