Two North Tyneside councillors have quit the Labour Party over claims of bullying, misogyny, and a "toxic" atmosphere.
Cath Davis and Gary Madden said they had become "increasingly disillusioned" with Labour as they resigned from North Tyneside Council's ruling group, launching a tirade of accusations against the party. The pair’s allegations ranged from “fabricated” disciplinary action against Coun Davis to an attack on Labour’s controversial decision to block Jamie Driscoll from standing to be the party’s North East mayoral candidate.
The North Tyneside Labour group refuted the claims “in the strongest possible terms” and accused both left-wing councillors, who will now sit as independents, of leaving the party for reasons “purely driven out of factionalism”.
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Coun Davis, who has represented the Preston ward since 2012, accused the council’s political leadership of exercising “far too much coercion and control over its members” and said becoming independent would leave her “free to challenge top-down decision- making without the fear of reprisals”.
She added: "I have been subjected to a pattern of bullying and misogyny. I have seen other councillors treated in the same way over the years. The atmosphere at group meetings is toxic with councillors often afraid to speak out.
"This has particularly affected women who have been disciplined far more than men. Usually for fabricated reasons. I have been recently disciplined for speaking at council, without permission, in favour of a motion from the Labour group that I had initiated.
"I want to represent Preston residents but, when I have challenged decisions of the Labour Group, I have been subjected to yet more disciplinary attacks. I am deeply concerned by the lack of democracy in the Labour Party.”
She added that the recent feud over Mr Driscoll’s exclusion from the mayoral selection contest was “unacceptable and a step too far”. Coun Madden has served on the council since 2012 but said he had “become increasingly disillusioned with the party locally and nationally over recent years”.
The Wallsend councillor, whose mother Maureen is understood to have been expelled from the party, added: "I have seen friends and family treated appallingly. I have been a Labour Party member for decades and it has always been my party. Even if I didn’t agree with the leader of the party I still campaigned for the party.
"I can’t do that anymore. The party was a broad church that allowed for a range of views. A party of fairness, a party of equality, a safe place for my political views. Unfortunately, this once safe place no longer feels like home.
"Like any relationship once trust has gone, it’s over. All trust has now gone as far as I am concerned. The recent exclusion of Jamie Driscoll from the long list was the final straw for myself.”
Labour said it had no outstanding complaints from either Coun Davis or Coun Madden and that the party “takes all complaints seriously and, when made, are investigated in line with our policies and procedures”.
A spokesperson for the North Tyneside Labour group then told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We refute the allegations made by Coun Davis in the strongest possible terms, these claims were fully investigated within the normal process and then above and beyond and were found to be unsubstantiated.
"The Labour Party under new leadership has higher standards for our elected representatives. This decision to resign seems to be purely driven out of factionalism and concern they no longer meet these high standards, as the statements they make about the party and the group are false.
"Both councillors were elected as Labour members and should now resign and stand as independents in a by-election. North Tyneside Labour group will continue to get on with the job of serving residents and will continue to put their priorities first, before petty internal factional squabbles."
Mr Driscoll called the two resignations a “sad loss for Labour”.
He added: "I’ve had so many messages from people saying they are appalled at the way the Labour Party is managed now. This is not just about London Labour HQ blocking me, but also about people being expelled for liking an anti-Boris Johnson tweet just because it came from an SNP member, for example.
"At a time of increasing distrust in politics, Labour has to be a broad church. The Labour leadership attacking Labour people is not the way to get Labour elected."
