Lisa Nandy has urged Labour members in the North East to back embattled Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes.
Mr Forbes was deselected in a landslide defeat at a Labour branch meeting in his Arthur’s Hill ward on Tuesday night, a remarkable result that has sent shockwaves through the city’s political establishment.
It means that the 48-year-old cannot stand as a Labour candidate in May’s local elections unless he finds an alternative seat – and even if he were to successfully run in another ward, there would be serious questions about his ability to continue as the party’s leader in the city.
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Ms Nandy, speaking to the Northern Agenda podcast, urged her colleagues in the region to think again about the move.
The shadow levelling up secretary said: "I hope that we find a way through this, I hope that the members in Newcastle decide that they want Nick to continue.
"Nick Forbes is a tremendous champion for the North East and for Newcastle in particular.
"He's been the city's biggest champion, he's made made national waves, he's defended the people of the city in really tough times."
Ms Nandy pointed to the Newcastle living wage and the education maintenance allowance as examples of Mr Forbes' commitment to the city.
She said: "The Newcastle living wage was absolutely central to this idea of levelling up, because he said, if the government won't do it, we will do it and we've got to do it because if you put money back into working people's pockets, they go out and spend it in the local community.
"So while the Tories were giving tax breaks to people who had offshore savings accounts, he was putting money into people's pockets to help stimulate the local economy.
"He also backed his young people, as when the government axed the education maintenance allowance at one stroke in a meeting in Whitehall Nick said, if they're taking it away we're going to to defend it."
For the full interview with Lisa Nandy listen to the Northern Agenda podcast.
Coun Forbes said on Wednesday that he would “take some time” to consider his future and whether to try and remain on the council beyond May, adding that he would continue on as leader for the remainder of his term in office.
Ms Nandy said: "Whatever happens, I know that I'll be able to draw on him as a source of advice and support and I'll continue to do so."
