'They owe Sonia Kumar an apology' - Row over Sedgley Ladies Walk heats up with misogyny claims

Reform UK councillor Shaun Keasey became an unlikely defender of Labour MP Sonia Kumar who has been on the wrong end of blistering attacks from Tory politicians.

Ms Kumar has been accused of lying about Conservative plans to close the Sedgley health centre by Tory candidate Bill Etheridge who, in a social media video, called her a ‘wretched woman’.

Cllr Keasey said: “More gaslighting from the Conservatives and in my opinion seriously over the top misogynistic bullying, the language they are using is just unacceptable.

“I can’t say the Conservatives were trying to shut down Ladies Walk but Sonia Kumar is right in a way – the Conservatives weren’t making any effort to continue services offered at Ladies Walk.”

The centre’s lease is due to expire in March 2026, a deal on a new lease keeping health and library services at the centre was announced recently after negotiations between the council and landlords Aviva during the last few months.

Cllr Keasey highlights an email from a senior council officer to Sedgley ward councillors sent on November 28 2024 which said ‘I am writing to seek your support in finding a new location for the Sedgley Library at Ladies Walk’.

An attachment to the email summarised the issue and ‘what we have done to date to seek a new location’.

Cllr Keasey said: “The council were searching for a replacement site – they owe Sonia Kumar an apology.

“The only reason the Conservatives got scared into actually trying to keep services at Ladies Walk was because they saw the public outrage.”

Dudley’s Conservative leader, Cllr Patrick Harley, defended officers looking for alternative locations.

Clr Harley said: “The council were at the time negotiating a new lease. If for example those talks had stalled or failed, then Keasey would have been the first to jump up and down asking why we hadn’t tried to find alternative provision.

“Politics is a rough and tumble environment. When Tories have been called scum and worse by Labour figures, I hardly think Bill’s language warrants Keasey getting his knickers in a twist.

“If he had bothered to digest what I have said recently on this issue, then he would know that I sang the praises of all three Sedgley councillors who had played their part.”

Mr Etheridge, a former Conservative councillor and UKIP and Brexit Party MEP, is planning to stand for the Tories in Sedgley and took a swipe at Cllr Keasey who represents the ward and was formerly an independent and Conservative councillor.

Mr Etheridge said: “My criticism of Ms Kumar is nothing to do with her gender and everything to do with her repeated and public lies.

“The idea that someone whose political hero is Margaret Thatcher is a misogynist is ludicrous

“As for councillor Keasey, it’s fascinating to see him cosying up to the Labour MP and using identity politics in this way.

“It’s clear that he only joined Reform to shore up his position as a councillor with votes for a party he has no affinity to, maybe he is getting ready for his next switch and a jump to Labour.”