Labour has suffered a huge blow, losing control of one of its flagship councils in Nottinghamshire just months before the local elections, as 20 councillors sensationally quit the party this week.
In a dramatic twist, Councillor Milan Radulovic, who has led Broxtowe Borough Council on a Labour ticket for more than two decades, announced he was jumping ship along with 19 of his colleagues blaming Keir Starmer’s leadership of the party.
Labour, which regained control of Broxtowe in the May 2023 elections, no longer runs the council. Even more damaging, the party has now lost its status as the official opposition at Nottinghamshire County Council—a political humiliation not seen in the authority’s history.
Labour Rebels Speak Out
Councillor Radulovic revealed the defectors will now sit as the Broxtowe Independents, running the council as a minority administration and relying on support from other parties to pass policies. He pulled no punches in his criticism of Labour’s leadership under Keir Starmer, accusing the party of forcing him and his colleagues to toe the line on unpopular policies.
“We were not elected to blindly follow government policy,” said Radulovic. The fallout follows months of feuding between local Labour members and the party’s national leadership, with rows over everything from candidate selection to funding for local projects.
Winter Fuel Payments Row Boils Over
One of the flashpoints was Broxtowe Labour’s public criticism of Labour’s decision to means-test winter fuel payments. Broxtowe was the only Labour-led council in Nottinghamshire to formally oppose the policy.
Relations hit a new low when Labour reportedly blocked Broxtowe Labour’s access to a bank account used to fund a Beeston community hub, which was forced to close.
Radulovic also blasted Labour for what he called a “centrist purge” of hardworking local councillors. Several Broxtowe members were barred from standing in the 2025 elections, including longstanding figures like Greg Marshall, who had twice been Labour’s general election candidate.
“It’s incredibly disappointing that some Broxtowe councillors have decided to leave the Labour Party,” said a Labour spokesperson, accusing the defectors of betraying their mandate.
However, Radulovic fired back, saying Labour’s selection process was undemocratic and designed to sideline loyal members who didn’t fit Starmer’s vision.
Humiliation at County Level
The fallout from the Broxtowe rebellion has spilled over to Nottinghamshire County Council, where Labour is no longer the official opposition. Former Labour councillor John McGrath, now a Broxtowe Independent, has tipped the balance of power, leaving Labour with no formal role at the authority for the first time ever.
The defections come as Labour faces mounting criticism for its handling of local and national policies. The Broxtowe exodus is just the latest chapter in a growing backlash against what critics call a centralised, out-of-touch leadership.
Broxtowe Labour Responds
Despite the defections, Labour councillors remaining in Broxtowe have vowed to carry on. “We, together with our Labour colleagues including MPs Juliet Campbell and Alex Norris, will continue to work to make Broxtowe a healthier, greener, safer and more prosperous place,” a spokesperson said.
But with the council now under independent control and Labour’s local power base in tatters, the party has a long road ahead to rebuild trust—and authority—in Broxtowe and beyond.
The timing of this crisis couldn’t be worse for Labour, with local elections looming in 2025. The loss of Broxtowe highlights deep divisions in the party that could have repercussions nationwide. Keir Starmer’s leadership is under scrutiny as grassroots discontent threatens to derail Labour’s ambitions of a stable and united front.
Starmer Gets Booed on Holiday for Jumping the Queue
Holidaymakers in Madeira were left furious this week after Keir Starmer skipped a three-hour queue for a popular toboggan ride during his winter getaway.
The PM, who is holidaying on the Portuguese island with his wife and two teenage children, was escorted by security to the front of the lengthy line, prompting loud boos from frustrated tourists.
Footage shared on social media captured the backlash, with one angry holidaymaker shouting at Starmer to “get to the back of the queue” as his family bypassed waiting visitors.
Source: www.nottinghampost.com
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