Latest defections at Walsall Council leave Labour trailing in third place

A newly formed group led by former Labour rebels is now the principal opposition party on Walsall Council following the latest wave of defections.

Walsall Community Independents, a newly formed group of ex-Labour rebels, has overtaken the official Labour group as the largest opposition party on the council.

Meanwhile two former Tory councillors who quit the party two months ago have returned, giving the party half of the council’s 60 seats.

Councillors Keith Sears and Amanda Parkes resigned from the Conservatives in February to sit as independents, but have now rejoined the group.

The developments come with just four weeks to go to the council’s ‘all-up’ election, where all 60 seats will be up for grabs.

The Community Independents, led by former Labour group leader Councillor Aftab Nawaz, are now the largest opposition group on the council following the resignation of two Labour councillors.

“I feel proud and humbled to become the new opposition leader of Walsall Council,” he said.

Councillors Paul and Christine Bott have quit the group and now sit as non-affiliated independents who are not part of any group.

Walsall Community Independents was formed last month by Councillor Nawaz, one of six Labour councillors who quit the group in November 2023 over Sir Keir Starmer’s position on Gaza. Three former Tory councillors also joined the group.

They initially served as independents, but Councillor Nawaz said it was important to form a new group to distinguish themselves from other independents who took different policy positions.

The latest changes leave the Conservatives holding 30 of the council’s 60 seats, Walsall Community Independents on 12 seats, Labour on 11 seats, with four independent councillors, two unaffiliated, and one Advance UK.