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Splits in Stafford’s Labour Party were laid bare this week when Councillors Ian and Sharon Hollinshead resigned from the party and went public on internal party arguments over claims of bullying and counter-claims of offensive tweets and inappropriate behaviour.
Councillor Ian Hollinshead, who is now considering standing as an independent in the May elections, told the Newsletter he was aware he would be accused of sour grapes because his original suspension by Labour related to a court case.
But he claimed there were long-standing internal conflicts in the Stafford party, creating an increasingly “toxic” atmosphere.
Councillor Hollinshead was fined £400 by Stafford magistrates last year after admitting wrongly claiming £8,000 in benefits. He said he had pleaded guilty because he had misunderstood the rules, and ignorance of the law was not a defence, and had paid the disputed money back before the case went to court.
Councillor Hollinshead said he was angry that his party suspension had dragged on since last summer. Subsequently three other members of the Strafford north branch were suspended over bullying allegations, and two more were suspended in recent weeks over their Twitter comments – one of the final straws that led to his resignation.
“If I had been dishonest I would have stood down,” he said. “I have brought the court case up again because I know I am going to be accused of sour grapes, but this is not all about me.
“If my political career is over I don’t mind, but I can’t sit by and allow injustice to other people who have done nothing wrong. People come first, the Labour Party comes second.”
One of the other suspended members, Paul Giles, claimed the local party had become too narrow and inward looking, “like an old boys’ club”.
“They don’t want to hear anyone’s point of view that doesn’t fit with their political agenda,” he said. “You can’t just ignore people – we need an MP and councillors who will represent the whole town, not just the people who vote for them. The town deserves better than political bickering.”
But Stafford Labour prospective parliamentary candidate Kate Godfrey denied that suspensions had been instigated by anyone in the local party.
“The Labour Party doesn’t work like that,” she said. “We don’t have any powers to suspend people, it is a matter for the national executive committee.”
A regional Labour Party press spokesman said it would not comment on internal party matters.
Read more: http://www.staffordshirenewsletter....tory-25973144-detail/story.html#ixzz3QqdLSlfM
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Councillor Ian Hollinshead, who is now considering standing as an independent in the May elections, told the Newsletter he was aware he would be accused of sour grapes because his original suspension by Labour related to a court case.
But he claimed there were long-standing internal conflicts in the Stafford party, creating an increasingly “toxic” atmosphere.
Councillor Hollinshead was fined £400 by Stafford magistrates last year after admitting wrongly claiming £8,000 in benefits. He said he had pleaded guilty because he had misunderstood the rules, and ignorance of the law was not a defence, and had paid the disputed money back before the case went to court.
Councillor Hollinshead said he was angry that his party suspension had dragged on since last summer. Subsequently three other members of the Strafford north branch were suspended over bullying allegations, and two more were suspended in recent weeks over their Twitter comments – one of the final straws that led to his resignation.
“If I had been dishonest I would have stood down,” he said. “I have brought the court case up again because I know I am going to be accused of sour grapes, but this is not all about me.
“If my political career is over I don’t mind, but I can’t sit by and allow injustice to other people who have done nothing wrong. People come first, the Labour Party comes second.”
One of the other suspended members, Paul Giles, claimed the local party had become too narrow and inward looking, “like an old boys’ club”.
“They don’t want to hear anyone’s point of view that doesn’t fit with their political agenda,” he said. “You can’t just ignore people – we need an MP and councillors who will represent the whole town, not just the people who vote for them. The town deserves better than political bickering.”
But Stafford Labour prospective parliamentary candidate Kate Godfrey denied that suspensions had been instigated by anyone in the local party.
“The Labour Party doesn’t work like that,” she said. “We don’t have any powers to suspend people, it is a matter for the national executive committee.”
A regional Labour Party press spokesman said it would not comment on internal party matters.
Read more: http://www.staffordshirenewsletter....tory-25973144-detail/story.html#ixzz3QqdLSlfM
Follow us: @StaffsNews on Twitter | StaffordshireNewsletter on Facebook
