News / Politics
Has the Labour Party really lost control of City Hall?
The Labour Party has purged so many of its own councillors in Bristol it has now lost control at City Hall. At least that’s how the theory goes.
But the reality behind the suspensions is not quite that exciting, unfortunately.
As reported exclusively by Bristol24/7, Hibaq Jama, councillor for Lawrence Hill, and Mike Langley, Brislington East, were both suspended this week. They joined Harriet Bradley, suspended earlier this month.
is needed now More than ever
The Labour Party in Bristol won a very slim overall majority in May this year with 37 councillors elected – one more than the 36 needed.
And if you take away three, that makes 34 – just shy of an overall majority, which in some cases would mean the party had lost its power in the council. Not in Bristol, mind.
First, the councillors may have been suspended by their party, but they can still sit in the council and vote with Labour if they want to – and they should want to (see below).
Second, here in Bristol we have a mayoral system, where all the power is essentially concentrated into one person. Marvin Rees, who helpfully happens to be Labour, is, for all intents and purposes, the executive.
The only time he legally needs the vote of the councillors to get through his policies is during the annual budget (usually at the beginning of the year, by which time the suspensions are likely to have been lifted anyway). Even then, there needs to be two-thirds against him to force a veto.
Non-binding votes may also be taken by councillors at meetings of full council in support of motions which could influence the mayor. Even then, though, the suspended Labour councillors are still likely to vote for their party.
As Bradley herself told Bristol24/7: “Maintaining a Labour majority is important but to me it’s just more important to support the Labour Party in general.”
A Labour council source also told Bristol24/7: “The councillors who have been temporarily suspended will be expected to vote with us, or they won’t exactly be welcomed back in again.
“Yes, officially we’ve lost our overall majority and the councillors have been excluded from sitting with the group, but it is expected they will return after the suspensions have been lifted.”
All three of the councillors suspended so far have shown support for Jeremy Corbyn. The Labour leader’s supporters have called the suspensions a “purge” ahead of the leadership election vote to be announced this weekend.
Many commentators believe the suspensions will be cancelled over the weekend if Corbyn wins, as is expected.
This could restore the party’s majority in Bristol by next week – the purge a distant memory. Now, who’s for a counter purge?