Calls for Llanelli by-election after Labour councillor ‘jumps ship’ to join Independents

LLANELLI Town Council’s Labour leader has called for a by-election after a councillor “crossed the floor”, leaving Labour to become an Independent less than six weeks after last month’s local elections.

Standing for Labour, Tyisha ward councillor Debbie Nicholas won the seat on Llanelli Town Council by a narrow 34-vote margin with 492 votes.

However, she then declared herself as an Independent councillor in the weeks that followed.

Councillor

David Darkin, leader of the newly-elected Labour-run town council, argues a byelection should be called after Cllr Nicholas’ switch of allegiance.

Cllr Darkin said: “Councillor Nicholas should put herself up for a by-election.

“If she is so confident that the people within Tyisha ward voted for her personally to represent them, then she should not be afraid of a byelection.” Labour secured 14 of the 23 town council seats after people went to the polls last month.

Cllr Darkin added: “The people of Tyisha ward voted overwhelmingly for Labour Party representation and we have requested that Cllr Nicholas stands for a by-election to show whether it’s her or a Labour Party representative that the people of Tyisha want. “Labour had a fantastic manifesto that really engaged with the public and the people of Tyisha ward voted for this manifesto and Labour Party values, they didn’t vote for an Independent.”

The Labour town council group press officer, Councillor Shaun Greaney, said: “Cllr Nicholas has moved across the council chamber to be Independent extremely quickly.

“It makes me wonder if she should have stood for Labour in the first place.

“The sad fact is if she doesn’t put the vote back to the electorate, she could remain on the council for four years and 10 months without putting her new position to an electoral test.”

Cllr Nicholas was asked to comment on why she left Labour and the calls for a by-election.

It makes me wonder if she should have stood for Labour in the first place

Cllr Shaun Greaney, Labour group press officer

Tyisha ward councillor on Llanelli Town Council Cllr Debbie Nicholas is facing calls from the council’s Labour leader to stand in a by-election after switching allegience from Labour to Independent just weeks after she was elected as a Labour councillor in May.