Labour rule in Luton under threat as vote of no confidence in council leader tabled

Newly-appointed council leader and Labour Biscot councillor Tahmina Saleem lost a vote of no confidence at an extraordinary meeting of the local authority, last night (Thusday, September 3).

A motion presented without advanced notice to remove councillor Saleem as executive leader was proposed by Liberal Democrat South councillor Steve Stephens.

LBC’s monitoring officer Mark Turner said: “The motion won’t be debated this evening, but in due course.

“There must be a vote taken as to whether it’s the will of the council as a whole that the matter goes forward to an extraordinary meeting. The earliest that meeting can be held is September 14.”

Town mayor and Independent Alliance Group Beech Hill councillor Javed Hussain confirmed no questions would be taken, and there were 24 votes in favour, 21 against and three absences.

A decision by six councillors to break away from the Labour group and form the Independent Alliance Group in July has left the borough council under no overall control for the first time in almost 20 years.

Challney councillor Khtija Malik became the seventh to join the group last month, having been a non-aligned Independent for 12 months since being suspended by the Labour Party.

Labour Saints councillor Saima Hussain has also left to become a non-aligned Independent, further weakening the ruling administration.

Councillor Saleem was appointed council leader in May in succession to long-serving Labour Lewsey councillor Hazel Simmons, who stepped down a year ahead of next year’s local elections.

It soon became clear there was growing dissatisfaction with the influence of the East of England regional Labour Party in key appointments. The six who left to form a new group cited “democracy being taken away from the local elected Labour members and therefore the town’s residents”.

A succession of defeats for the Labour executive in committee votes opposing its trial red route plans in Bury Park paved the way for the motion to remove councillor Saleem without warning.

Speaking after the meeting, Liberal Democrat opposition group leader and Barnfield councillor Amjid Ali explained: “As councillor Stephens’ motion acknowledged, Labour doesn’t have the numbers now.

“If the council carried on, it would gradually grind to a halt anyway. So there was a view to have some stability there.

“We didn’t feel Labour was being democratic because it was primarily being led by the Party’s headquarters, rather than themselves.

“They’ve not been able to choose their own candidates for their councillors, and for who goes on to the executive. The people who came out (of the Labour group) were discontented by that.

“It was suggested would I go into a coalition with them and replace the leadership. With the coalition being in the majority now, then the council can be stabilised and we can ensure all the operations are running smoothly.”

Responding to the vote of no confidence, Labour Council Leader Tahmina Saleem, said: “This is not what residents voted for. Luton deserves better. Luton elected a Labour council; not chaos and individual egos. Instead of playing self-serving games these councillors should resign their seats and let their residents decide who represents them.

“The general public will not look kindly to anyone who cosies up to the Conservatives who took over £160 million from Luton, during a decade of austerity, and Reform when their senior politicians lie about our town and our people.

“I fully intend to challenge this vote of no confidence. Whatever games others choose to play, my focus remains exactly where it has always been: delivering for Luton and standing up for our residents.”

There are now 21 Labour councillors, 13 Liberal Democrats, seven representing the Independent Alliance Group, three Conservatives, three non-aligned Independents, and one Reform UK councillor.