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Council leader vows to fight no-confidence vote

Martin HeathBedfordshire political reporter
News imageAmy Holmes/BBC Tahmina Saleem wearing glasses and a long-sleeved floral blouse stands in the foreground of Hat Gardens in Luton on a sunny day. Behind her are landscaped terraces, flower beds, a shallow water feature, and an information board. Modern office buildings and a multi-storey car park rise in the background beneath a bright blue sky with a few small clouds.Amy Holmes/BBC
Tahmina Saleem said the people of Luton elected a Labour council, not chaos

A council leader who has only been in post since May has pledged to fight an attempt to oust her.

Opposition parties at Luton Borough Council joined forces to challenge the leadership of Labour's Tahmina Saleem.

It follows the departure from her party of eight councillors, most of whom have joined the authority's Independent Alliance.

Saleem said the motion to force her out was "not what residents voted for".

'Let residents decide'

In a statement, Saleem said: "Luton elected a Labour council, not chaos and individual egos.

She said councillors should let residents decide who represents them, and added:

"I fully intend to challenge this vote of no confidence - my focus remains exactly where it has always been: delivering for Luton and standing up for our residents."

News imageTahmina Saleem wearing ceremonial red robes with fur trim, a white lace jabot and dark-framed glasses, stands in a town centre square beside a war memorial. In the background, people gather near a building with large white columns and around flower beds, while a modern curved building with grey, white and purple panels overlooks the scene. A memorial sign displaying “1918” is partially visible on the left, and the image appears to have been taken during a public remembrance or civic event.
Saleem was Mayor of Luton in 2024

During Thursday's meeting of the full council, Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Stephens put forward a motion "that the council leader be removed from office".

Councillors voted to progress the motion, by 24 votes to 21 and were told it will now become the subject of an extraordinary meeting.

News imageAmy Holmes/BBC Rob Roche wearing a light-coloured sweater and a purple lanyard stands beside a curved wooden desk in a council chamber. Behind him are rows of red leather benches with built-in microphones, dark wood-panelled walls, and tall leaded windows that let in natural light. A council identification badge is visible on the lanyard, and the chamber appears empty aside from the person in the foreground.Amy Holmes/BBC
Rob Roche said the previous Labour leader had been forced out

Six Labour councillors left the party in July and became part of an Independent Alliance, followed by another Labour member in August.

One of them, Rob Roche, told the BBC he had quit as a result of the previous leader being "forced out" by the regional party leadership.

Labour East said the change of leadership was conducted "in line with party policies and procedures".

An eighth member left the party to become a non-aligned independent earlier this week.

News imageMartin Giles/BBC A low-angle view of Luton Town Hall, a large white stone civic building with a columned entrance and prominent clock tower rising above the roofline. Two flagpoles stand on either side of the building, and the sky is filled with dramatic white and grey clouds against patches of bright blue. Part of a modern curved building with grey, silver and purple panels is visible on the right, highlighting the contrast between the historic town hall and contemporary architecture nearby.Martin Giles/BBC
No date has yet been set for Saleem's future to be decided at Luton Town Hall

If Thursday's vote is anything to go by, Saleem would not survive a no confidence motion because all the opposition parties and non-aligned individuals would vote to oust her.

The next few days could be crucial, as she tries to persuade disaffected former Labour councillors to cast aside their gripe with the regional party and support her aim of "delivering for Luton".

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