LABOUR EXECUTIVE WRONG TO MEDDLE
It is a vital and long-standing rule of the Labour Party that individual Labour Groups, consisting of democratically elected Labour councillors, are sovereign bodies. As such, they have the ability, within available resources, party rules, and the law, to determine the most appropriate policies to serve their local communities.
Labour Local Government wishes to make it clear to all members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) that they have no right or justification to interfere in or influence the legitimate actions of locally elected representatives. Such actions are not just outside of the party’s rules, but an affront to the basic principles of democracy.
We are extremely disappointed at the circumstances in which an issue in Haringey was brought forward and discussed by the NEC. Haringey Labour Group was not informed that such a discussion would take place, no advance notice was given, and no papers were produced, meaning the NEC discussion took place based on opinion and speculation rather than facts.
This sets a dangerous and alarming precedent and we ask the NEC for categorical assurances that such circumstances will not arise again in relation to this or any other Labour Group.
Labour councillors around the country are deeply concerned that, in seeking to mitigate Tory austerity by proposing radical new solutions, we face calls for disciplinary action against us. Such calls are uncomradely, disrespectful, and wilfully ignore the difficult and challenging role that we play in doing our best to protect the most vulnerable in our communities.
Councillor Claire Kober has an outstanding record of improving the lives of residents in Haringey. Claire became the leader of Haringey Council in 2008 at the age of thirty, assuming the immense personal responsibility of leading a council in crisis following the appalling public service failures that led to the death of Peter Connelly (‘Baby P’).
Under her inspirational leadership, and despite suffering funding cuts of over 40% since 2010, the Haringey Labour Group has delivered the fastest improving schools in the country and generated billions of pounds of investment in the borough, and in 2017 the council won the Children’s Services of the Year award. We believe the Labour Party owes her a huge debt of gratitude for turning around a failing authority and as a result protecting thousands of the most vulnerable children and adults.”
Labour council leaders
Councillor Nick Forbes, Leader of the Council, Newcastle Upon Tyne Council
Sir Steve Bullock, Executive Mayor, London Borough of Lewisham
Councillor Lib Peck, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Lambeth
Councillor Tom Beattie, Leader of the Council, Corby Borough Council
Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of the Council, Birmingham City Council
Councillor Simon Henig, Leader of the Council, Durham County Council
Councillor Peter John, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Southwark
Mayor John Biggs, Executive Mayor, London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Mayor Joe Anderson, Executive Mayor, Liverpool City Council
Sir Richard Leese, Leader of the Council, Manchester City Council
Councillor Stephen Alambritis, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Merton
Councillor Samantha Dixon, Leader of the Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council
Councillor Simon Blackburn, Leader of the Council, Blackpool Council
Councillor Debbie Wilcox, Leader of the Council, Newport City Council
Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of the Council, Leeds City Council
Councillor Alan Smith, Leader of the Council, Allerdale District Council
Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of the Council, Barking & Dagenham
Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Brent
Councillor Huw David, Leader of the Council, Bridgend County Borough Council
Councillor Warren Morgan, Leader of the Council, Brighton and Hove
Councillor Mark Townsend, Leader of the Council, Burnley Borough Council
Councillor George Adamson, Leader of the Council, Cannock Chase District Council
Councillor Huw Thomas, Leader of the Council, Cardiff City Council
Councillor Bill Dixon, Leader of the Council, Darlington Borough Council
Councillor Peter Edwards, Leader of the Council, Exeter City Council
Councillor Denise Hyland, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Greenwich
Councillor David Ellesmere, Leader of the Council, Ipswich Borough Council
Cllr Mrs Eileen Blamire, Leader of the Council, Lancaster City Council
Councillor Richard Metcalfe, Leader of the Council, Lincoln Council
Councillor Sean Coughlan, Leader of the Council, Walsall Council
Councillor Robert Jones, Leader of the Council, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Councillor Ray Oxby, Leader of the Council, North East Lincolnshire Council
Councillor Alan Waters, Leader of the Council, Norwich City Council
Councillor Jean Stretton, Leader of the Council, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
Councillor Bob Price, Leader of the Council, Oxford City Council
Councillor Peter Rankin, Leader of the Council, Preston City Council
Councillor Jas Athwal, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Redbridge
Councillor Andrew Morgan, Leader of the Council, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Councillor Allen Brett, Leader of the Council, Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Councillor Alyson Barnes, Leader of the Council, Rossendale Borough Council
Councillor Chris Read, Leader of the Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Councillor James Swindlehurst, Leader of the Council, Slough Borough Council
Councillor Iain Malcolm, Leader of the Council, South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council
Councillor Barrie Grunewald, Leader of the Council, St Helens Council
Councillor Sharon Taylor, Leader of the Council, Stevenage District Council
Councillor Shaun Davies, Leader of the Council, Telford & Wrekin Council
Councillor Anthony Hunt, Leader of the Council, Torfaen County Borough Council
Councillor Peter Box, Leader of the Council, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council
Councillor Clare Coghill, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Waltham Forest
Councillor Terry O’Neill, Leader of the Council, Warrington Borough Council
Councillor Ian Moran, Leader of the Council, West Lancashire Borough Council
Lord Peter Smith, Leader of the Council, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council
Councillor Roger Lawrence, Leader of the Council, Wolverhampton Council
Councillor Peter Lamb, Leader of the Council, Crawley Borough Council
Councillor John Clarke, Leader of the Council, Gedling Borough Council
Councillor Julian Bell, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Ealing
Councillor Rishi Shori, Leader of the Council, Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of the Council, Chesterfield Borough Council
Councillor Steve Curran, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Hounslow
Councillor Linda Thomas, Leader of the Council, Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council
Councillor Doug Taylor, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Enfield
Councillor Steve Cowan, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
Councillor Sachin Shah, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Harrow
Councillor David Poole, Leader of the Council, Caerphilly County Borough Council
Councillor Phil Davies, Leader of the Council, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of the Council, Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council
Chris Emmas-Williams, Leader of the Council, Amber Valley District Council
Councillor Harry Trueman, Acting Leader of the Council, Sunderland City Council
Stuart Young, Leader of the Council, Cumbria County Council
Jo Lovelock, Leader of the Council, Reading Council
Jon Collins, Leader of the Council, Nottingham City Council
Labour group leaders where the party is in opposition
Councillor Gavin Callaghan, Leader of the Labour Group, Basildon Borough Council
Councillor Tim Dwelly, Leader of the Labour Group, Cornwall Council
Councillor Jonathon Hawkes, Leader of the Labour Group, Dartford Borough Council
Cllr Mrs Joan Butterfield, Leader of the Labour Group, Denbighshire County Council
Councillor Michael Fitzpatrick, Leader of the Labour Group, East Staffordshire Borough Council
Councillor Di Martin, Leader of the Labour Group, Forest of Dean District Council
Councillor Lesley Williams, Leader of the Labour Group, Gloucestershire County Council
Councillor Judi Billing, Leader of the Labour Group, Hertfordshire County Council
Councillor Azhar Ali, Leader of the Labour Group, Lancashire County Council
Councillor Vince Maple, Leader of the Labour Group, Medway Council
Councillor Adam Farrell, Leader of the Labour Group, North Warwickshire Borough Council
Councillor Danielle Stone, Leader of the Labour Group, Northampton Borough Council
Councillor Paul Miller, Leader of the Labour Group, Pembrokeshire County Council
Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of the Labour Group, Plymouth City Council
Councillor Matthew Dorrance, Leader of the Labour Group, Powys County Council
Councillor Mick Lerry, Leader of the Labour Group, Sedgemoor District Council
Councillor Jack Kemp, Leader of the Labour Group, Stafford Borough Council
Councillor Susan Woodward, Leader of the Labour Group, Staffordshire County Council
Councillor Mohammed Pervez, Leader of the Labour Group, Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Councillor Neil Moore, Leader of the Labour Group, Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council
Councillor Duncan Enright, Leader of the Labour Group, West Oxfordshire District Council
Councillor Adam Hug, Leader of the Labour Group, Westminster Council
Councillor Colin Huckle, Leader of the Labour Group, Weymouth & Portland Borough Council
Councillor Ricky Rogers, Leader of the Labour Group, Wiltshire Council
Councillor Robert Parker, Leader of the Labour Group, Lincolnshire County Council
Councillor Terry Pullen, Leader of the Labour Group, Gloucester City Council
Councillor Alan Rhodes, Leader of the Labour Group, Nottinghamshire County Council
Councillor Nigel Bell, Leader of the Labour Group, Watford Borough Council
Councillor James Dawson, Leader of the Labour Group, Erewash Borough Council
Councillor Bob Packham, Leader of the Labour Group, Selby District Council