Southwark (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Cllrs Sam Foster and Ketzia Harper have been suspended from Labour after defying the party whip in July’s Southwark leadership vote, now listed as independent.
During a full council meeting on July 9, Cllr King was formally elected as the next Southwark Council leader.
Cllr Foster reiterated throughout the meeting that he, Cllr Harper, and Laura Johnson had voted against Cllr King’s election because they questioned the “legitimacy” of her victory and stated that they were unable to back her.
A spokesperson for Southwark Labour Group said:
“Following a full investigation, Cllr Foster and Cllr Harper were found to have breached Southwark Labour’s standing orders. In line with the Labour Party’s disciplinary process, Cllr Foster and Cllr Harper have had the Labour whip withdrawn, subject to an appeal process.”
After accusing Labour of meddling in the democratic process of the leadership campaign, the three had threatened to leave the party. After serving as council leader for five years, Cllr. Kieron Williams stated in June that he was stepping down, which prompted the election.
However, his victory was short-lived as the London Labour Party ordered the result to be quashed after Bermondsey and Rotherhithe MP Neil Coyle complained about the use of some councillors voting by proxy.
At the end of June, Cllr James McAsh was first announced as the new leader of Southwark Labour, and essentially the council.
Cllr King was elected as the new leader of Southwark Labour by a majority of two votes after the regional party requested a rerun of the poll, this time using an online ballot. Together with Cllr Johnson, Cllr Foster and Cllr Harper disobeyed the Labour whip by voting against Cllr King being elected as the new leader of Southwark Council after having supported Cllr McAsh on the first and second ballots.
Kath Whittam, the then-chair of Southwark Labour, resigned from the party in the days following the July full council meeting because she “could not be convinced” that the June 30 first leadership poll was “fair, transparent, and legal.”
Victor Chamberlain, leader of the Southwark Lib Dems, said:
“Two more councillors exiting the fold tells you everything you need to know. If even Labour’s own councillors can’t defend their record locally or nationally, why should anyone else? We’ve already seen in Rushmore that these bitter divisions can cost Labour control. It’s no wonder they’re losing voters, activists, councillors and their support in droves.”
How might the suspensions affect Southwark Council’s decision-making?
Now there will be two independent former Labour councillors, Southwark Labour’s working majority and cohesion is likely to be diminished, for instance in closely contested votes. This could lead to delayed decision-making or negotiations with independents or opposition members, in order to pass key proposals.
These suspensions are emblematic of extreme division within Southwark Labour and are indicative of how these divisions may carry on into council proceedings, resulting in factionalism and potentially less coordinated policy agendas.
The defiance, and the subsequent suspensions, took place in the wake of the highly controversial election of Sarah King to council leader. The extent to which councillors are distrusting of each other may make it difficult for the leader to command authority and be effective in guiding the council’s business as well as instigating institutional reform.