Town councillor quits Labour and slams MP Helen Jones

Ian Atkin will continue serving as an independent until the all-out elections in May next year and insists his willingness to work for residents is ‘as strong as ever’.

As well as firing criticism at Labour, he also slammed Mrs Jones, who has held her seat since 1997.

Cllr Atkin said: “It has been hard to stay a member this long, in the face of national leadership seemingly happy to embrace anti-Semites and communists while ignoring the party policy, agreed at conference, in relation to Brexit.

“At a time when the Tories are in total disarray and seemingly hell-bent on destroying our country, it is unforgivable that the Labour Party leadership has failed to provide anything resembling credible opposition for the good of the nation.”

Widespread concerns have been raised over the anti-Semitism row which has rocked Labour.

But the party previously said leader Jeremy Corbyn is a ‘militant opponent’ of anti-Semitism and is ‘determined to eradicate’ all forms of it.

Jeremy Corbyn

Cllr Atkin went on to say: “Equally undeserving of support is our MP Helen Jones.

“As well as rebelling against party policy on crucial Brexit votes, her attitude towards Labour-controlled Warrington Borough Council is nothing short of disgraceful.

“Instead of actively supporting one of the most successful endeavours of her party, she actively briefs against it and refuses to meet with leading councillors.

“Her inner circle has a toxic corrosive effect on the local constituency party and appear to be only interested in pursuing their own agenda.”

Mrs Jones has not responded to a request for a comment.

But Cllr Atkin says he has the ‘utmost respect’ for councillors in the area – and singled out council leader Cllr Russ Bowden (LAB – Birchwood) for special praise.

He said: “They, on the whole, put a huge amount of work into supporting and advocating for local residents and have done a superb job of limiting the impact of the devastating cuts to council budgets.

“Selections have taken place for Labour’s candidates for the 2020 local elections in Warrington.

“I am very pleased that Russ Bowden has been reselected for Birchwood, since he has possibly done more for the people of Birchwood and Warrington than any other individual councillor over the past few years.”

Cllr Russ Bowden

Cllr Atkin highlighted that the third candidate position for Birchwood, which must be a woman, remains unfilled as there were ‘no suitable applicants’.

He added: “What is clear is that the Labour candidates for the next election will not, as a group, be up to the standard set by their predecessors.”

Labour is yet to allocate borough council candidates for next year’s all-out election for 17 seats across the town – despite the party having held its selection event on Sunday, June 9.

Three candidate spots are yet to be filled in the Appleton ward, one in Birchwood, two in Grappenhall, one in Great Sankey North, three in Lymm North, two in Lymm South, one in Orford, two in Penketh, one in Stockton Heath and one in Westbrook.

The closing date for applications is June 21.

Speaking in relation to the Birchwood, Orford and Westbrook wards, a spokesman from Warrington North Labour Party said: “Warrington North Labour Party will announce our remaining candidates in due course.”

The Labour drama is the latest in a series of fallouts from the party in the town.

The party’s two-time Warrington South parliamentary candidate Nick Bent has been involved in a lengthy bitter feud with Mrs Jones.

And last year, former council leader Cllr Terry O’Neill said he believes more could have been achieved for Warrington if he had a ‘working relationship’ with Mrs Jones while he was in the top job at the Town Hall.

Independent councillor Dan Price, who quit Labour in April, recently hit out at Mrs Jones after her latest row with Mr Bent in May.

And Penketh parish councillor Andy Heaver recently quit Labour and launched a stinging attack on two of the party’s borough councillors, Cllr David Keane and Cllr Linda Dirir.