Party must reflect, says last Labour councillor

Walsall's only remaining Labour councillor said the party needs to take a "look at itself".

Simran Cheema was the only Labour councillor left after Reform UK secured 40 of 60 seats to seize control in Thursday's local election. The Conservatives lost 26 seats, Labour 16 and the independents were up by four.

Nationally, the party suffered heavy losses leading to division and some opposition to Sir Keir Starmer's leadership.

It was "alarming" the party had lost its core working class voters, Cheema said. "The party as a whole needs to look at itself inwardly in terms of how badly the local elections went.

"I don't think that our messaging has really resonated with voters. It's quite clear some of the stuff we've done nationally hasn't been cutting through."

Cheema came second in the Willenhall ward and acknowledged people voted her back in for her work in the community, not because she was a Labour candidate.

"The left wing supporters are now supporting Green and the independent movement," she said.

"Working class people are now voting Reform which is really difficult to see because the Labour Party set out to be a working class party. The fact we're struggling amongst our core voters is really alarming."

She said she would continue to be a voice of opposition against any bad decisions Reform UK could take.

"It is time for the Labour Party to have a clear vision for the country and what we're going to do to tackle some of the real issues out there."

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