Wolverhampton councillor suspended by Labour Party pending an investigation
A city councillor has been suspended by the Labour Party pending an investigation.
Celia Hibbert, who was re-elected to represent Penn on Wolverhampton Council at last month's local elections, has been suspended for "unspecified reasons".
It means that under party rules she will be unable to attend Labour group meetings or take part in the decision making process pending the result of the investigation.
She will still be considered a Labour councillor and is able to attend and vote at full council meetings.
Local Labour sources confirmed Councillor Hibbert had been suspended for "unspecified reasons" and had been notified of the decision.
Councillor Hibbert has held the Penn seat since 2018. She was previously suspended by the city's Labour group in October 2021 following claims she had voted against the group whip and had encouraged other councillors to rebel.
She had the whip restored the following month after her suspension was overruled by regional party bosses.
Councillor Hibbert made an unsuccessful bid for parliament in the seat of Harborough in 2019, and was last year listed as a recipient of a grant from the MotheRED project, which aims to help mothers with the cost of standing for selection as a Labour MP.
She announced last year she had applied for Labour candidacy for Wolverhampton South West at the next general election, and was also linked with a tilt at Stoke Central.
Councillor Hibbert did not respond to a request for a comment.