Demand for Sandwell councillor to be selected as candidate

Members of the local constituency party have written to their regional headquarters calling for Councillor Ann Shackleton to be on an approved list of people who can be chosen to stand.

The former headteacher is one of four sitting Sandwell Labour councillors who have been told they have not been chosen to defend their seats in the forthcoming local elections.

The de-selections have been attacked by former council leader, Councillor Steve Eling, who said they are part of a campaign by party officials aimed at West Bromwich MP and deputy leader of the national party, Tom Watson.

Colleagues are backing the Cradley Heath and Old Hill councillor and have sent a strongly worded motion to the regional Labour group, saying: “We demand that her appeal is heard fairly and speedily, and we expect Ann to be restored to her rightful place on the panel of candidates.”

Ian Cooper, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Halesowen and Rowley Regis, is also backing the call.

“As a party we were surprised at the decision,” he said.

“She is an excellent councillor and she has a track record in public service that speaks for itself.”

He said feedback from the regional office had raised technical reasons for her being left off the candidates’ list, but he added: “Her exemplary record should surely take precedent.”

He went onto to say, “We want the best candidate because Sandwell has fought on to maintain public services against the backdrop of cuts of nearly 50 per cent in funding.

“Ann has played her part it that and we need the best quality candidates we can get and Ann is one of those.”

The three other sitting councillors who have been removed from the list are the mayor and deputy mayor of Sandwell, Joy Edis and Carol Goult, and Wednesbury South’s Olwen Jones.

A decision on Councillor Shackleton’s appeal is expected next week following an internal party hearing on Sunday.

By George Makin, Local Democracy Reporter