Six Councillors, Including Former Leader, Depart Labour Party

Six councillors, including a former city council leader, have left the Labour party. Nick Kemp, who resigned as leader of Newcastle City Council weeks ago following a bullying complaint that he denies, is now serving as an independent councillor on the council. The Labour party, which governs the council, now holds 39 of the 78 seats, indicating it no longer has overall control of the local authority. A council spokesperson stated that the resignations would not impact the political leadership, adding, “Council business will continue to operate as normal.” Councillor Kemp, representing Byker, has been joined by Marion Williams from Blakelaw, and East End councillors John Stokel-Walker, David Wood, Margaret Wood, and Stevie Wood. A source within the Labour party informed the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the six individuals should resign their council positions, noting they were “elected as Labour candidates.” The source further stated, “They should have the courage in their convictions, call by-elections and contest them as independents.” David Wood cited the government’s reductions to the winter fuel allowance, the rise in the bus fare cap, and the increase in university tuition fees as primary motivations for his decision. He commented, “I will be surprised if we are the only ones to jump.” The councillor also affirmed his commitment to “still be fighting for the people of Walker, as I have done for the last 36 years,” and confirmed that he, his wife Margaret, and fellow ward councillor Stokel-Walker plan to remain in their roles until the council elections scheduled for 2026. Stevie Wood, representing the adjacent Walkergate ward, remarked that “this didn’t happen in 10 minutes, it has been building up in me for a while,” attributing his decision to the winter fuel allowance and Labour North’s “interference” in the recent leadership selection process. Kemp has been contacted for a statement. Karen Kiglour, who previously served as Kemp’s deputy, was appointed as leader in October, succeeding the Byker councillor and becoming the first woman in the city’s history to hold this senior position. Labour has governed the council since 2011, a period that followed seven years of Liberal Democrat leadership. For further updates, follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.