Peter Lazenby
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TWO Labour councillors have been banned from standing for re-election to Wirral Council in Merseyside in May’s local elections: one of them for protesting against the other’s ban.
Cllr Yvonne Nolan is disabled and Cllr Chris Davies is her partner and full-time carer.
Mr Davies says he was banned because he failed to attend enough sessions of a Labour Party training programme about campaigning.
Ms Nolan says she was banned because she spoke out against her partner’s ban when answering a question from the press during a protest against it.
They say Labour will have no candidate for Ms Nolan’s seat, and she is to stand in her own name.
Mr Davies, who has been replaced by another Labour candidate, is planning a legal challenge against his ban through his union GMB on the grounds of discrimination: he was unable to attend some training sessions because of his caring responsibilities.
Both describe themselves as being on the left of the party, which they believe may be a factor in the two bans.
Ms Nolan, a former leader of the council who oversaw its strategy during the Covid-19 pandemic, said: “I was called in and was told that it was inappropriate that I had commented.
“I have been a Labour Party member for 40 years or something like that.”
Mr Davies, who is an affiliated member of the Labour Party via his union GMB, said: “The Labour Party seem to be going for union affiliates. It is not just happening in the north-west: it is happening nationally.”
Labour has been contacted for comment.
