Plans chief is latest to quit Labour party
He slams ‘vindictive individuals out of control’
ANOTHER senior Labour politician has quit the party over ‘ a small group of manipulative and vindictive individuals’.
Hyndburn Council planning chairman Cllr Eamonn Higgins has resigned over behaviour in the constituency branch, branding it ‘a disgrace’.
He is the fourth highprofile figure in the borough to leave Labour after Cllr Miles Parkinson, former cabinet member Gareth Molineux and Cllr Jenny Molineux, while several others are not standing in May’s local elections.
Cllr Higgins’ announcement follows borough leader Cllr Parkinson quitting Labour at Hyndburn’s full council meeting last week, blaming ‘certain individuals who are operating behind the scenes’.
Cllr Higgins, 52, has been a Labour member for eight years and intends to complete his term as a councillor for Huncoat ward as an Independent, but says he will not stand again in the May 2023 borough poll.
He has written a letter to Cllr Parkinson which says: “I have today written to the chief executive to say that I will be resigning as a member of the Labour Party with immediate effect.
“The public needs to know that the Hyndburn Labour Party has been destroyed by a small group of manipulative and vindictive individuals who are completely out of control.
“I have been a Labour supporter all my life. It breaks my heart to say that what is happening in the Hyndburn Labour Party is nothing short of a disgrace. The truth is that the reputation of the Labour Party in Hyndburn has been dragged into the gutter and the damage that has been done will last for many years to come.
“I know that this mess has been reported a number of times to the Regional Labour Party in the hope that they would do the right thing and stop the nasty and vicious attacks. I and many other party members, are appalled that they have done nothing. I will no longer stand by and pretend that it is alright to bully women in the party, to run a constant campaign of personal abuse and poisonous rumours against people. The Hyndburn Labour Party is a disgrace and I can no longer be a part of it.”
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that Cllr Higgins has taken the decision to resign from the Labour Party and he will be missed. The party is taking steps to address the situation.”
Cllr Parkinson said: “I am not surprised. Unfortunately there are dark forces in the Hyndburn Labour Party that do not have the best interests of the residents at heart.”
Acting Labour group leader Cllr Paul Cox said: “It is sad to see an experienced councillor choose to leave but I appreciate his reasons and wish him well.”
Conservative group leader Marlene Haworth said: “It’s very sad it has come to this. It’s up to Hyndburn Labour Party to sort their problems out.”