Sixth Norwich Labour councillor resigns in party row

A sixth member of Norwich Labour party has resigned in a row over the selection of a local election candidate.

Norfolk county councillor Maxine Webb said she needed to be able to trust colleagues she worked closely with.

On Tuesday night four city councillors and a county councillor resigned, leaving Norwich City Council in no overall control but with Labour still the largest party.

Labour has been asked for comment.

The councillors are stressing that their resignations are to do with internal local party politics and are not connected in any way with leader Sir Keir Starmer or the party's stance on Gaza.

Karen Davis, Emma Corlett, Cate Oliver, Rachel Everett and Ian Stutely have made no public comment since their resignations but one of them told the BBC "the atmosphere had become toxic"

"I hadn't been sleeping properly. It had reached a point where you've got to do something to help yourself, that's why I had to leave," they said.

They are delivering a leaflet to local residents promising to keep serving the area as local councillors.

The councillor told the BBC: "Our values haven't changed. We still believe that local government is a force for good and we intend to focus relentlessly on local issues but as independents."

The row was over a decision by the local party to stop Mr Stutely, from standing in next year's local elections.

His colleagues in the Town Close area of Norwich refused to select another candidate so Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) in London imposed a candidate on the local party.

Ms Webb, who resigned the Labour whip on Wednesday morning, said: "The involvement in that process of Labour colleagues with whom I work closely and need to be able to trust, has made my position representing Wensum as a Labour councillor unmanageable"

She and Ms Corlett, who was deputy Labour group leader on the county council, will now sit as independents at County Hall.

Mr Stutely will now fight next year's city council election as an independent.

The other five councillors are not up for election next year.

Local members are angry that an internal row has got out of control, resulting in an embarrassing story for Labour so close to a general and local elections.

One member said: "It's about revenge on those who wronged them without any concern for those they are dragging under the bus with them."

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