Resign? Sandwell Council leader hits back over calls to step down
James Morris MP has called for the leader of Sandwell Council to immediately step down while investigations into him are ongoing.
Steve Eling was suspended by Labour's ruling NEC last week as part of a long running probe.
Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP Mr Morris has been involved in a long running war of words with Mr Eling, and first called for him to resign in an explosive House of Commons address last year.
On that occasion the Conservative MP used his Parliamentary privilege to highlight a series of allegations involving councillors and officers.
Now he has accused Mr Eling as "behaving like a squatter" in the council house and again urged him to step down. Mr Eling has hit back – claiming Mr Morris should be "congratulating" him for guiding the authority through a difficult period.
It was business as usual as Councillor Eling chaired his first Sandwell Council cabinet meeting on Wednesday which lasted just under six minutes.
It was his first council meeting since news emerged last week that he had been suspended
Mr Morris said: “It is astonishing that nearly a week has gone by since Councillor Eling’s suspension and he is still in place at the helm of Sandwell Council.
"It beggars belief that Labour councillors have not taken action to replace the leader while such serious allegations have been made against him.
"Councillor Eling is behaving like a squatter in Sandwell’s Council House without any authority.
"He will be making decisions that affect the lives of local people, while trying to defend himself against a catalogue of allegations.
"While he has a right to defend himself, he also has a duty to ensure that the office he holds has his full attention, and I do not think he will be able to do this justice.”
Mr Eling told the Express & Star: "All of the standards issues have been fully investigated and where wrongdoing was found, that has been reported on.
"The council has gone as far as it can in law on these cases. Any further action would be a matter for the police. James Morris should be congratulating me for seeing the council through what have been a difficult set of investigations."
