Councillor vows to stand for election as an independent days after quitting Labour
A former Labour councillor has announced plans to stand as an independent candidate in May’s local elections, days after quitting the party.
Steve Tulley accused Labour of “hammering” working people as he publicly resigned at a Wakefield Council budget meeting on Monday (March 2).
Coun Tulley, who has represented South Elmsall and South Kirkby for 15 years, last month urged his Wakefield Labour group colleagues to call on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign.
The former miner said he had been disciplined by the party and told he could no longer stand as a Labour candidate on May 7 as a result of the earlier comments.
In a resignation letter to local party leaders, Coun Tulley said: “I am not going away.
“I will continue to represent the good people of South Elmsall, South Kirkby and Moorthorpe who have returned me to Wakefield since 2011 with the biggest majority at every election.
“At the May election I will put myself forward but unfortunately not as a Labour candidate.
“The party has already decided that I am not a fit and proper person.
“I would disagree and suggest that the party is no longer fit and proper.”
Coun Tulley said he would be asking his constituents to “keep their faith in me” at the ballot box.
He added: “I have never been afraid to say what I believe and I have never had any ambitions for high office, just to do what I have done for the last 15 years and speak up and fight for a better deal for us in South Elmsall, South Kirkby and Moorthorpe.
“It has always been an honour and privilege to represent the place I was born and have lived all my life.
“I don’t need a Labour Party who has lost their direction and principles to do this.
Earlier this week, Coun Tulley voted against the Labour-run authority’s budget proposals, which included a maximum council tax increase of 4.99%.
He said: “I ain’t coming here to keep hammering our people – the working poor as I see them.
“We can’t keep piling more and more costs on top of our people.
“That’s why I am not going to vote for this budget.”
Labour has been contacted for comment.