TAMESIDE Council’s former leader has quit the Labour Party with a withering blast, both locally and nationally.
And Cllr Ged Cooney says he will stand as an Independent candidate when he is next up for election in 2027.
The former agent of Angela Rayner MP and chair of the Ashton-under-Lyne constituency party had been suspended by it after publicly telling how he warned officials about the Trigger Me Timbers WhatsApp group.
The Correspondent understands the fact nothing was put in writing, meaning there is no record of the comment, before the Droylsden West representative spoke to the national press is believed to be the reason why.
Now the member of at least 46 years has handed in his membership in utter frustration at the direction Labour appears to be travelling in.
He told The Correspondent: “I’ve struggled for some time to remain a member of a Labour Party that took away the winter fuel allowance but never told anyone during the election campaign they would do that.
“Many MPs stood beside WASPI women, getting pictures for their leaflets saying it was wrong, they must be paid the money owed. Only to get into government and drop them.
“There’s been U-turn after U-turn, scandal after scandal. Talking to people out and about, they feel this Labour government has let them down.
“I’ve been involved in Labour since Harold Wilson was leader. This is not the party I joined, nor is it the government the people of Tameside and the UK Voted for.
“It’s being controlled by a few right wingers and if you’re not lining up with that, they will remove you.
“These are the same people that thought Lord Mandelson was OK. If you’re not paying into them, you’ll not survive.
“This is the party that stopped Andy Burnham standing but allows these. They have no shame.”
Cllr Cooney was a keen onlooker at the two-day standards hearing into Trigger Me Timbers, at which his predecessor as leader, Cllr Brenda Warrington, and four other sitting members were told they face censure and removal from panels for breaching the code of conduct
And he admitted sitting at Dukinfield Town Hall, listening to the defence, only rubber-stamped his decision.
He added: “Six Labour then councillors from Denton not only abused the public with vile comments.
“They made terrible remarks about the children of the town. Some used public funds to do this and then said they were unaware the public was paying the bill.
“Yes, the public was paying the phone bill while Councillor Warrington was still getting an allowance for the phone. That money must be paid back.
“I was suspended because I reported this group and I make no apologies doing so.
“The party wrote to me about my hearing, basically saying I had never offered an apology.
“I saw going forward with appeal was a waste of time knowing that if I apologised it would mean I regret reporting them.
“I do not regret reporting them and Cllr Joe Kitchen said, ‘If I could’ve done more, I would’ve.’ Our party gave them a warning and said, ‘Go back to normal.’
“It didn’t believe it was anything serious. You only had to sit in that hearing…
“There wasn’t a group or area of society that wasn’t abused in it.”
Following Cllr Cooney’s resignation, Droylsden West is now without a Labour councillor after Ann and Barrie Holland also made themselves Independent.
“Like Denton South, there’s no Labour councillor in Droylsden West – two Labour strongholds,” he added.
“Myself, Ann and Barrie will be doing what we’ve always done – fight for the people of Droylsden and I’ll put myself forward to the public again.”
The Correspondent has approached the Labour Party for comment.