Deputy leader of Northumberland Labour leaves party after being blocked from standing at next election
Northumberland Labour has been rocked by the resignation of its deputy leader after she was blocked from standing for the party at the next election.
Cllr Liz Simpson, who has represented the Newbiggin Central and East ward for the last 13 years, was turned down by an interview panel ahead of the local elections in May.
In a statement, the long-serving councillor confirmed she would sit as an independent councillor and said she had become “disillusioned” with policy decisions made at a national level.
Cllr Simpson branded the interview process “awful”. However, she also committed to fighting the next election as an independent.
She said: “I went through the interview process and they turned me down. I couldn’t believe it – their reasons were so petty and pathetic.
“It was just awful. I was going to go for an appeal but I decided that I wasn’t going to put myself through that again.
“I think more of myself to do it again. I’ve been a councillor for 13 years and I’ve had so much support from the people of Newbiggin and other Labour members, it has been lovely.
“I feel quite happy now I have made my decision. What the national party have done with the pensioners and winter fuel payments was very disappointing – I dread what is going to happen in this Budget.
“For me, this is the right decision – but I am definitely going to stand as an independent. I have done the best for my ward for the last 13 years and I will continue to do that. That’s what this is all about – doing the best for my residents, not national politics.
“The Labour Party are the losers, not me.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands it is standard practice for sitting Labour councillors to face an interview before selection every four years.
A Labour Party spokesman said: “Elections in Northumberland next year are critical to the future of our county. People placed their trust in the Labour Party in July, many for the first time ever – and now Keir Starmer and his Government are beginning the hard work to make sure that trust is repaid.
“Voters face a choice next May between real change with the Labour Party or four more years of the Conservatives.”