SUSPENDED COUNCILLOR WINS

A Labour councillor suspended by her party over claims of a “Muslim plot” against her leader has won re-election with an huge majority.

Former Newcastle City Council deputy leader Joyce McCarty, pictured, polled 63% of the vote and finished more than 1,200 votes ahead of the nearest rival on Thursday.

It came despite her being suspended by her party, pending an investigation into alleged Islamophobic comments made after outgoing council leader Nick Forbes was ousted earlier this year.

In a text message seen by The Journal, she wrote that she had heard that his deselection in the Arthur’s Hill ward was a “Muslim plot” organised by West End councillors to select more black, Asian, and minority ethnic candidates. Despite being suspended at the end of March, she remained on ballot papers as a Labour candidate because her nomination forms were lodged before the suspension.

In the safe Wingrove seat, she polled 1,547 votes on Thursday - well ahead of Green candidate John Pearson’s 332 in second place. Coun McCarty has been a councillor since 1994, was Labour’s deputy leader in the city from 2007 to 2021, and deputy leader of the council from 2011 to 2021. Abdul Samad, chosen in February to stand for Labour ahead of the council leader, won in Arthur’s Hill. He said: “I am proud and ecstatic to have been given this opportunity and hopefully I can do right by the council and support the residents to Arthur’s Hill to make sure their voices are heard.” Asked why he chose to go up against Coun Forbes, Mr Samad said he ‘didn’t see it as that’, adding: “I just wanted to get involved in serving the community.”