News, Politics

Nottingham councillor resigns from Labour Party over ‘abandonment of core principles’

By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter

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A Nottingham councillor has quit the Labour Party to sit as an independent – saying the group leadership had abandoned its ‘core principles’.

Cllr AJ Matsiko, who represents the Sherwood ward, announced his resignation on Monday (April 28).

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he had stood down following two key incidents.

These include the rejection of a motion to stop three city libraries being handed over to voluntary groups, and the “repeated imposition of leadership roles”.

“After witnessing the lack of democracy and basic decency within the leadership of the Nottingham Labour Group, I have concluded that now is the appropriate time to leave the majority group and serve as an independent councillor,” he said.

“The group has abandoned the core principles of the Labour Party, such as natural justice and sound democratic processes as well as continuing to make poor financial and other decisions.”

Cllr Matsiko was suspended at the beginning of April, having posted a statement on social media alleging party officials had engaged in “unacceptable” behaviour at a local Labour Group meeting in January.

The meeting was held at Loxley House on the evening of January 16, during which some councillors attempted to table a motion to keep all libraries council-run.

The authority’s leadership had put forward plans to hand three libraries over to voluntary groups in a bid to save £1.5m – plans which have since been passed.

One anonymous councillor said an “explosive” debate followed, which led to a number of councillors leaving the building in protest.

The councillor said they had been left concerned and worried to attend future Labour Group meetings due to the atmosphere and behaviour on the night.

Two months later in March, the wider Labour Party then sent in a Campaign Improvement Board to monitor the city council’s ruling group amid continued political unease.

Displeasure first became apparent upon the imposition of the authority’s current leader, Cllr Neghat Khan, and her deputy, Cllr Ethan Radford, by the national Labour Party in May last year.

The party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) stepped in to oversee the election at the time.

Potential candidates were interviewed, and suitable applicants were due to be presented to the Labour Group for the final decision.

However, the NEC only selected Cllr Khan as a suitable candidate and she was installed as the new leader ahead of the meeting.

Cllr Matsiko added: “Although I have no ambitions to be within the executive, it remains deeply disturbing that both the leader and, in particular, the deputy leader, have been appointed without the vote of the Labour Group of councillors.

“This is wholly inconsistent with the democratic values the Labour Party claims to uphold.

“I first became politically active during the Brexit referendum, which I believe has proven to be a serious error, causing lasting harm to both the UK economy and to communities, especially those who now find themselves struggling for funding.

“And since the 2024 general election, I have also felt increasingly betrayed by the Labour Party’s national position on migration.

“As a second generation migrant, I know how much we contribute significantly to the UK’s economy and are often among the most hard-working and forward looking members of society.”

Cllr Matsiko is not the first city councillor to have resigned from the Labour Party.

In November last year former Sheriff of Nottingham and Berridge ward councillor, Shuguftah Quddoos, announced she had quit the party to stand independently at the time.

She had first been suspended from the party earlier that year for voting against what she called “devastating” budget cuts.

Cllr Quddoos, who was appointed to the civic title of Sheriff at the time, had been the only councillor to go against party orders to approve the budget.

In March this year she announced she had joined the Green Party.

Cllr Nadia Farhat, who represents Leen Valley, also quit the Labour Party in October 2023 over its stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

She now stands as an independent.

Commenting on the latest resignation, a Labour Party spokesperson said: “We do not comment on internal processes.

“But Labour councillors at Nottingham City Council will continue to focus on what is most important – rebuilding the council’s finances and delivering for our residents.”

The Nottingham Labour Group also referred to the statement from the party when contacted for comment.