The London-based Labour Party National Convention, who are imposing Councillor selections on Birmingham Labour branches, has been deselecting sitting Labour Councillors who have spoken out against the administration over the weekend, it has been leaked on X.
More deselections or moves are expected to be announced as Labour’s National Convention purges all voices of opposition within the Birmingham Labour Party ahead of 2026’s Local Elections, in which Labour is expected to suffer heavy losses. The Local Conservatives only need to gain 12 councillors in next year's elections for Birmingham Labour to lose control of Birmingham City Council.
Birmingham Labour has been under review for poor performance and blaming others for their mistakes by the National Labour Party since 2023, when the National Party from London imposed Cllrs John Cotton and Sharon Thompson on Birmingham Labour, bypassing the normal leadership process which sees members of Birmingham’s Labour Group have a say on their leadership.
Serious questions were raised about Birmingham Labour’s competence as a Group by the London-appointed Campaign Improvement Board in the leaked report, since widely circulated.
Commenting, Cllr Robert Alden (Con, Erdington), Leader of the Opposition and Birmingham Local Conservatives, said:
Labour may be desperate to get rid of councillors who have spoken against their failure and to pretend to residents they are offering a fresh start. But the reality is the only way for a fresh start in Birmingham is by voting for the Local Conservatives in May 2026.
Cllr Ewan Mackey (Con, Sutton Roughley), Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Birmingham Local Conservatives, added:
Labour appear to be purging a combination of councillors they claimed would be the fresh faces of Labour at the last election and Cllrs who have spoken against Labour’s double whammy of cuts to services like library closures and fortnightly waste plans and tax rises that have seen council tax rocket 73% over the last 13 years Labour have been in charge.
