Labour banish councillor for ‘trying to joinTories’
Row after member urges others to vote against council leadership
AWOLVERHAMPTON councillor has been indefinitely suspended by the Labour Party after she allegedly tried to join the Tory group and was accused of encouraging other members to vote against the council leadership.
Cllr Celia Hibbert, a Labour councillor for Penn since 2018, had the whip withdrawn and will no longer be allowed to attend group meetings after Labour councillors voted 33-9 in favour of her removal.
The allegations were detailed in a letter sent to Cllr Hibbert by Labour group chief whip Cllr Rita Potter earlier this month which said: “It is alleged that on July 21, 2021, at full council, you voted against the Labour group whip in relation to a senior leadership review, despite having said nothing in the previous three Labour groups when this paper was discussed.
“It is also alleged that on July 21, 2021, during full council, you sent a message to members of a Labour councillors BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) WhatsApp group encouraging them to also vote against the group whip in relation to the aforementioned report on senior leadership review.
“It is alleged that in the previous weeks, you have approached the Conservative opposition in the council and asked whether you could cross the floor and join their group. You have in our view breached our group rules and standing orders.”
Council leader Ian Brookfield said he could not comment on an internal party disciplinary procedure.
But colleague Cllr Paul Birch said: “Behaving in this manner is a complete disgrace to the Labour group and its values.
“I was told by an opposition member that Cllr Hibbert had crossed the floor on three occasions to try and join the Conservatives.
“Clearly they didn’t want her and now the Labour group don’t either.
“It is well documented that Cllr Hibbert also stood as Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Market Harborough in 2019.
“This demonstrates that she is not committed to the Wolverhampton Labour group – or indeed its opposition’s values either,” he added.
But Tory group leader Cllr Wendy Thompson denied claims Cllr Hibbert had met with her party.
She said: “The Wolverhampton Conservative Group wishes to make it clear it is not prepared to be involved in any way with the petty, internal squabbling presently taking place within the Labour Group of councillors. There is no truth whatsoever in the allegation made by Labour Cllr Paul Birch that Cllr Celia Hibbert has attempted to join the Conservative Group. If the Labour Group has a dispute with one of their members that is no matter for any other political party.”
Cllr Hibbert could not be contacted despite efforts.