BY-ELECTION COULD HAVE IMPACT ON ‘KNIFE-EDGE’ POLITICAL BALANCE

THREE candidates will contest the election for a council seat vacant for more than a year.

Stoke-on-trent City Council’s Moorcroft ward has been without a councillor since former Labour Group leader Mohammed Perez, right, unexpectedly quit both roles last April.

The pandemic meant that a by-election to fill the vacant seat had to be put off until May 6.

Nominations have now closed and three candidates will be on the ballot. They are Andy Butcher, of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition; Tariq Mahmood, of the

Conservatives and Javid Najmi, of Labour.

A fourth nomination – Sir Honkey Tonk James of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party – was not validated by election officials, due to the candidate being younger than 18 on the day of nomination. Moorcroft had been held by Mr Pervez since the seat was created following boundary changes in 2011.

In the last election, in 2019, he won 60.41 per cent of the vote, with Mr Mahmood, who will be contesting the seat for the Conservatives again, polling 39.59 per cent.

Mr Mahmood, a 57-year-old taxi driver, of North Road, Cobridge, believes he can go one better in this election.

He said: “I’ve been working very hard in the ward over the last few years. I think it has been neglected for a very long time.

“Parts of the ward are like a shanty town, with broken roads and fly-tipping. If you look at Conservative-held areas in the city, they are much better developed.

“I used to be a Labour supporter for 37 years, but they have taken Asian voters for granted. I think these days voters will look at the people standing and decide whether they will be the best person to represent them.”

Mr Najmi, of St Peters Walk,

Cobridge, also says he will work to improve the quality of life in Moorcroft ward. He said: “I have lived in Cobridge for over 30 years. I raised my children in our community, as a single parent after the death of my wife from cancer and they are now raising their own families in our city.

“I am so proud to be an adopted Stokie, but we all know that our city deserves so much better – especially as we rebuild after the devastating pandemic.

“Our roads are crumbling, our streets are dirty and there is simply too much fly-tipping. I want to be the councillor for Moorcroft to make sure that the basics are done and that our community gets its fair share.”

The result could have an unusually significant effect on the political balance of the city council, which is on a knife-edge.

The Conservative group, led by Abi Brown, is running the authority as a minority administration, holding 19 of the 44 seats.

This means they need the support of independent councillors to win important votes. This year’s budget was only passed after Lord Mayor Ross Irving used his casting vote to break a 21-21 tie.

Applications to register to vote must reach the electoral registration officer by midnight on April 19.

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