Party leaders on Southampton City Council have clashed over the timing of a Labour MP’s decision to step down as a councillor.
Southampton Test MP Satvir Kaur announced her resignation as a ward councillor for Shirley in late August.
This decision from Ms Kaur, who was elected MP for the first time in July’s general election, triggered a by-election.
READ MORE: Satvir Kaur MP to stand down as Southampton City Councillor
Residents in the Shirley ward are set to go to the ballot box on Thursday, October 10.
At a recent council meeting, Conservative group leader Cllr Peter Baillie asked if the authority’s leaders felt it was a “disgraceful” use of public money to fund the by-election, suggesting the former leader of the local authority could have resigned before the local elections in May.
Labour leader of the council Cllr Lorna Fielker said the question appeared to “reek of double standards and a lack of consistency”.
“I don’t think anybody knew that the general election was going to be called in July and we saw that sorry statement made in the rain, but Cllr Baillie may well have had full knowledge,” Cllr Fielekr said.
She asked if Labour member Christie Lambert should have stood down prior to May and if Liberal Democrat councillor Thomas Gravatt should not have stood in the local elections given they were both candidates in the general election.
Cllr Fielker added: “I just think if Cllr Baillie really felt this was such an issue, he should have asked the question to Cllr Kaur in the March meeting whether or not she would be resigning prior to May.
“I would also like to point out that in 2010 Royston Smith, 2015 Cllr Moulton, 2019 Cllr Galton, all stood for parliament but they did not step down prior to the election taking place.
“It is not something that generally happens. Some people do. Some people don’t.”
Conservative councillor Steven Galton said had he been elected as an MP, his intention was to carry on in both roles and if he could not do them to the standard he wanted, he would have stepped down at the next set of local elections.
Cllr Fielker replied: “Our next set of elections is not until May 2026.
I think it’s really inappropriate to make judgements on whether or not a person should stand down or shouldn’t stand down based on what you may or may not have done.”
The Labour councillor said she did not see a problem with Ms Kaur stepping down to focus on her work as an MP.
Cllr Bailie said: “I am surprised you are making such a song and dance about this. The point is the council is in a financial mess.
"Anyone, even on our side, could have bet their house on the fact that ex-councillor Kaur was going to win Test.”
He added: “I don’t think there was an excuse not to have re-signed earlier and then not caused a cost to the council, which the by-election in Shirley has now done.
“If you don’t see that, that’s fine, but to me, that’s a waste of council money.”
In response, Cllr Fielker said: “The point is nobody knew when that general election was to be called. It could have been as late as January of next year. That’s a fact.
“That is where we are, so to expect somebody to stand down all that time before is frankly ridiculous.
“You are saying I’m making a song and dance of it. I’m not the person who brought the question to this chamber, it is yourself.”
The candidates standing in the Shirley ward by-election are:
Maggie Fricker – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Andrew Hetherton – Local Conservatives
Barrie Maxwell Margetts – Green Party
George Edward Percival – Liberal Democrats
Andrew Douglas Pope – Independent
Victoria Ugwoeme – Labour Party
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel