EXCLUSIVE
ANOTHER Tameside councillor has resigned from the Labour Party in protest at their welfare cut proposals.
Gary Ferguson also believes the ‘toxic culture’ that has been cited locally still exists.
But unlike former Longdendale ward colleague Jacqueline North, he will continue as an Independent.
After being conspicuously absent from the ‘Your Longdendale team’ section of the leaflet for current candidate Francesca Coates ahead of the forthcoming by-election, questions were asked.
Now Cllr Ferguson has told The Correspondent he has walked away from Labour after Rachel Reeves’ proposals to adjust the welfare system in her spring statement.
He believes they will have ‘a devastating effect on some of the most vulnerable within our community.’
And he cannot stand by and be under the same umbrella.
Cllr Ferguson said: “The reasons behind my resignation are many and varied but in principle I find myself in dispute with many aspects of our national policy including Labour’s recently announced welfare cuts.
“I believe these policy decisions are not right and will have a devastating effect on some of the most vulnerable within our community.
“These cuts follow on from the fact that 50.000 pensioners will be placed in relative poverty this year with the widescale loss of the winter Fuel Allowance.
“The Office of Budget Responsibility has by its own economic forecast called this policy direction Into question. I find this really difficult to accept from a Labour Government.”
Cllr Ferguson also took aim at how the Tameside Labour administration is run, believing some councillors are ‘marginalised.’
The role of the party’s national executive committee in the council’s business has been questioned repeatedly, not least by former leader Cllr Gerald Cooney.
And the Longdendale representative, who told of the ‘soul searching’ he did before his decision, added: “Locally within Tameside Council, the toxic culture I believe existed still exists.
“The marginalisation of councillors and the way in which appointments are made to the executive board are not in in the best interest for Tameside residents and businesses.
“Although I have resigned from the Labour Party, I will carry on serving the residents of Longdendale as your local independent councillor.
“May I take this opportunity to thank everybody for their messages of support and encouragement. I will get back and respond to you all.
“I sincerely apologise if you feel let down by my decision it has a taken a lot of soul searching on my part, but I have reached the conclusion that is the only position left open to me.”
The Correspondent also approached Longdendale Councillor Jacqueline Owen about Cllr Ferguson’s omission from the election leaflet, but she did not comment.