Dave Taylor bolts from Liberals

Calgary-Currie MLA Dave Taylor announced Monday he is going to sit as an Independent, saying the Alberta Liberal Party has become directionless.

Taylor said he has lost faith in Liberal Leader David Swann, and the partyhas failed to present Albertans with an attractive alternative to the Alberta Progressive Conservative party, he said at a news conference Monday in Calgary.

"I'm a lead, follow or get out of the way kind of guy," Taylor said. "The trouble with the Alberta Liberals is that nobody's leading, nobody's following and nobody will get out of the way."

He added that hecan serve his constituents better by sitting as an Independent.

"It's unfortunate that our caucus members learned of it through the media, and we regret that he chose this course of action without speaking to us first," Swann said in a statement following Taylor's announcement.

"While I thoroughly reject his characterization of my leadership and the potential of the Alberta Liberals, I respect his right to make his opinion known," Swann added.

Taylor a one-time Calgary radio talk show host said he has no ambitions to succeed Swann as Liberal leader.

He alsodismissed rumours he would run for Calgary mayor, saying he is too old for that.

'If I was 10 years younger, I might be very interested in the mayor's job' Calgary-Currie MLA Dave Taylor

"If I was 10 years younger, I might be very interested in the mayor's job," he said.

Taylorhad been theopposition critic for the departments of Energy, Housing and Urban Affairs and Municipal Affairs.

He was first elected as MLA for Calgary-Currie in 2004 and was re-elected in 2008. That year, Taylor ran for the leadership of his party, losing to Swann, who represents Calgary-Mountain View.

Before entering politics, Taylor hosted a current affairs talk show on Calgary's CHQR radio.

Taylor's decision to desert the Liberals follows the high-profile defections of twoProgressive Conservative MLAs Heather Forsyth and Rob Anderson to the Wildrose Alliance partyin January.

And last summer, former cabinet minister Guy Boutilier waskicked outof theTory caucus after he criticized funding delays for a long-term care facility in his constituency.

The MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo now sits an independent.