COUNCIL LEADER FACES FIGHT AS FIVE BID FOR ROLE
PHIL Bale will have to fight to stay as Cardiff council leader once more – as five of his colleagues have made bids to oust him.
Labour maintained control of the city council in Thursday’s elections, securing 39 seats.
Many thought support for the party would falter and they would be forced into coalition but as the last results were announced, Labour had maintained the same number of councillors it went into the election with.
Instead, it appears the odds are stacked against Coun Bale keeping his role as Labour leader. And according to party sources, Coun Bale faces “a 90% chance” of losing his role.
Labour’s constitution says it must hold an annual meeting to appoint a leader. The meeting will be held tonight and, as it stands, there are five other hopefuls who have put their names forward.
They are Splott councillors Huw Thomas and Ed Stubbs, Cathays councillor Chris Weaver, Heath councillor Graham Hinchey and Grangetown’s Lynda Thorne.
Coun Hinchey was a cabinet member in the last administration and had control over finance, Coun Weaver was a deputy cabinet member and Coun Thomas served on the cabinet under former Labour leader Heather Joyce. He has also stood for Parliament in his home seat of Ceredigion.
Coun Stubbs is a communications officer for Labour in the Assembly and has no cabinet experience.
Coun Thorne has made a number of bids for leadership of Labour. She has also served as deputy chairwoman of Labour.
When asked in the early hours of Friday if he was prepared for a leadership challenge, Coun Bale said he was disappointed it was being touted – he was then unaware any formal approaches had been made.
He said he believed the group had to “move on”.
“We are committed to working together,” he said, adding he wanted to remain leader.
Speaking yesterday, Coun Bale said: “Presumably people think it’s not a difficult job. Things have been moving forward, in education for example. But that’s democracy. Who leads the group is not something we debate via the press.”
A senior Labour councillor said: “I am afraid Phil is going to have to go. The group under his leadership became very dysfunctional, with factions constantly arguing and a succession of resignations. It was pretty unpleasant being a Labour councillor and having to go through this.
“We can’t carry on like that any more – there’s a need for a fresh start.
“The fact that so many councillors are lining up to oppose Phil shows he lacks confidence in the group. He’s a nice guy but a weak leader. There’s a 90% chance that he won’t win the group leadership election.”
Another senior Labour source said: “The level of opposition to Phil Bale is very strong. With the old group before the election, he was just about able to cling on. But seats have been lost in his constituency of Cardiff North including those of his ward colleague Garry Hunt in Llanishen and for councillors in Whitchurch and Tongwynlais.
“While to outsiders it may seem odd to get rid of the leader just after a successful election campaign, the victory happened despite the problems in the Labour group which now have to be addressed.”
A succession of Labour councillors resigned during Mr Bale’s leadership and the party lost two by-elections in seats that were regained last Thursday.
Former council deputy leader Ralph Cook resigned from the group after being suspended for opposing Labour’s transport policies and facing investigation over comments he made on social media.
He said: “I am not prepared to be bullied, and have never put up with it throughout my life. Some of the members of the group have behaved like a pack of dogs towards me and I am not prepared to tolerate that kind of behaviour.”
Splott councillor Gretta Marshall left the Labour group and later joined Plaid Cymru. Another councillor, Monica Walsh, collapsed and an ambulance was called after she was “verbally attacked” during a meeting of a Labour group. And Llandaff North councillor Sue White resigned her seat, accusing ex-colleagues of bullying her for speaking up for a Muslim association.
The imminent vote isn’t the first time Mr Bale has faced leadership challenges. In February 2015 he faced a no-confidence motion but survived being ousted. That May, Coun Thorne tried to replace him at their group meeting and again the next May.
But many thought that given Labour’s triumph on Thursday, he would be safe. Instead, tomorrow he will be one of the hopefuls giving a speech to members – many who are new councillors – to keep his role.
The format of the meeting is unclear, but councillors Keith Jones and Jim Murphy are looking to take over from outgoing chairman Ben Thomas.
The candidates will all be given time to speak before a vote, expected to be in a knockout form, will be held.
One Labour source said Coun Stubbs is believed to be the front runner. Other roles including deputy leader will also be voted on. The candidates there include Sue Lent, who held the role in the last administration, Coun Thorne and Cathays councillor Sarah Merry.
The Lib Dems also need to appoint a new leader after Cathays councillor Elizabeth Clark lost her seat on Thursday. The group will meet on Sunday to begin the process.
One possibility is former city leader Rodney Berman who has returned to council politics after five years away after losing a seat in Plasnewydd. He was elected in Penylan on Thursday.