Labour politicians 'in for a shock' says Sandwell's Brexit Party councillor

Councillor Bill Cherrington said Sandwell's Labour MPs Tom Watson, Adrian Bailey and John Spellar could all be voted out at the next general election, while borough councillors will also face the public's wrath at next May's local polls.

Mr Cherrington this week became the West Midlands' first Brexit Party councillor.

He was a Labour Party member until May, when he was expelled for allegedly supporting an opposition candidate at the local elections.

It has emerged that by that stage he had already broken Labour rules, revealing to the Express & Star that he voted for the Brexit Party in that month's European elections.

The Princes End councillor campaigned for Britain to Leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.

And he says public frustration over the anti-Brexit stance by many Labour politicians would be felt at the ballot box.

"When I was elected in 2016 I did a lot of door knocking in Princes End and everyone was telling me the same thing, that they were voting to leave the EU.

"They were mainly Labour voters, and since then they have seen their party repeatedly letting them down on Brexit.

"People believe Labour have been stabbing them in the back over Brexit, and when they are given their say in the next general election I think a lot of Labour MPs in places like Sandwell are in for a shock.

"There is a good chance they will lose their seats. I'm sure people will send a message to Labour in Sandwell – and that applies to the local elections as well."

Sandwell's three Labour MPs have all voted against Brexit in the Commons, with West Bromwich East MP Tom Watson leading calls for the party to campaign for Remain in a second referendum.

His constituency saw a Leave vote of 68.2 per cent, while in West Bromwich West it was 68.7 per cent in favour of Brexit and in Warley, Leave won with 61.6 per cent of the vote.

Labour has dominated Sandwell Council for years, and currently holds 69 of the 72 seats on the authority.