A Knowsley councillor has left the Labour party and confirmed he will continue as an independent ahead of May’s council elections.
Cllr John Morgan, who was elected to Whitefield ward in Kirkby as a Labour councillor in May 2019, confirmed he left the party effective today although has refused to be drawn on the reasons for his decision.
Knowsley Labour and council leader, Cllr Graham Morgan said the councillor was serving a six month suspension from the Labour party at the time of his resignation.
READ MORE : Borough ‘must do better’ as children transported out for A Levels
In January, Cllr Morgan was the only Labour councillor to vote against the whip in support of independent councillor Steve Smith’s motion to condemn Labour leader Keir Starmer for writing in The S*n newspaper at a tense full council meeting.
Kirkby’s first independent councillor Steve Smith, whose surprise election last May deposed Labour’s then deputy leader Sean Donnelly, took to social media earlier today to say that Cllr John Morgan was joining him as a Kirkby independent.
Cllr John Morgan said that following his decision, he hoped the people of Kirkby could be “more openly represented in the future." He added: “It’s fair to say as a councillor nothing has changed, I still represent the people of my ward and the wider community to the best of my ability,
“I haven’t changed in any way whatsoever, it’s a political allegiance that’s changed and not an attitude. I will be able to serve with the residents as well as I did as a Labour councillor and I hope now that Kirkby can be more openly represented in the future.”
Cllr Steve Smith, said: “Times are changing in Kirkby. Kirkby has its second independent councillor. Cllr John Morgan had decided to leave the Labour party to become an independent cllr for Whitefield ward. I have worked alongside Cllr Morgan and always found him to be[a] dedicated, principled and honourable man.
“I respect his courage in making this decision and wish him well. I have no doubt that Cllr Morgan will work tirelessly for Whitefield ward, Kirkby and Knowsley and I look forward to continuing to work with him promoting community before party politics.
“Let’s go forward together and leave no place and no one behind. Time for change?”
Referring to the councillor’s decision to defy the whip over the Starmer motion, which he seconded, leader of the opposition and Knowsley’s Green party leader, Cllr Kai Taylor said: “Labour councillors should be free to vote for the best interests of their residents and should not be held by a repressive whip system and should be able to vote with their conscience.”
Commenting on Cllr John Morgan’s decision to resign from the Labour party, Cllr Taylor added: “We wish councillor Morgan all the best with representing his ward. We’ve always found him to be quite a principled councillor.”
Knowsley Labour leader Cllr Graham Morgan said: “On Wednesday, 16 th March 2022, Cllr John Morgan notified the Knowsley Labour Party of his decision to resign as a Labour Councillor for Whitefield Ward and serve the remainder of his term as an Independent. At the time of his resignation, Cllr John Morgan was serving a six month suspension from Knowsley Labour Group for a number of breaches of Labour Party rules.”
Cllr John Morgan declined to comment on Cllr Graham Morgan’s remarks.
He will now join other independent candidates in Whitefield at this year’s council elections, including Steve Guy former chair of the Friends of Mill Dam park. Mr Guy is contesting the seat held by Labour’s deputy leader Cllr Louise Harbour.
