Three Plymouth city councillors quit Labour

Three councillors on Plymouth City Council have left the Labour Party, citing concerns over immigration policies, trans issues and cuts to the winter fuel allowance.

Dylan Tippetts, the city's first openly trans councillor, was elected as Labour councillor for Compton in 2022 but has now become Plymouth City Council's only Liberal Democrat member.

Zoe Reilly, who represents Honicknowle, quit Labour to become an independent while Carol Ney, the member for Southway, left Labour to join the Independent group.

The Labour leader in Plymouth said all three councillors should stand down so that by-elections could be held.

Tippetts said Labour had "thrown transgender people under the bus and has taken us back decades".

Following a Supreme Court ruling that a woman was defined by biological sex under equalities law, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he did not believe transgender women were women.

Announcing the political move, Tippetts said: "I will always make sure trans voices are listened to and valued in this period of turbulence and division our country faces."

Welcoming Tippetts to the Lib Dems, city party chairman Stuart Bonar said: "With the government scrapping winter fuel payments to over 10 million pensioners, as well as cutting benefits to disabled people, it is no surprise that more and more people are turning to the Liberal Democrats."

Carol Ney said she left the Labour Party because of her concerns over the government's cuts to the winter fuel allowance and plans to change personal independence payments.

She said: "These changes are affecting the poorest members of society and I've heard first-hand from residents who are struggling to make ends meet."

Ney said she had hoped to see a change of direction from Labour following the local elections in May.

There were no elections in Plymouth but Labour were wiped out on Devon County Council.

She said: "I was hoping after the recent election results Labour would have changed policies as they can see the electorate are becoming disillusioned with the party. Alas they have not listened to the general public."

Zoe Reilly left the Labour Party the day after the prime minister made a speech about bringing down net migration.

She reportedly referred to Starmer's speech and said remaining in Labour "would be a disservice to myself and to the diverse communities I continue to work with".

Reilly has not responded to a request for comment from the BBC.

The defections mean Labour has 39 councillors on Plymouth City Council, the Conservatives and the Independent group both have seven councillors, the Green Party has two members, while the Liberal Democrats have one and one councillor is independent.

Tudor Evans, leader of the Labour group on Plymouth City Council, said it was "disappointing" when people left the party.

He said: "They should stand down in order for a by-election to be held, so the residents of those wards can choose whether they are happy with their councillors switching allegiance during their term of office."

Evans said Labour had the highest number of councillors since it became a unitary authority and was "getting on with delivering its ambitious programme for the city".

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