Scathing message from councillor as she quits Labour

A WELSH Labour councillor has stepped down from the party and issued a scathing criticism about its leadership.

- ELLIE GOSLEY

Helen Cunningham, who has served as Labour councillor for the Llanhilleth ward since 2022 and also held a deputy leadership role on Blaenau Gwent council, claimed the party no longer serves the “ordinary people” it was elected to represent.

In her strongly worded resignation letter, Ms Cunningham said she has “grown increasingly uneasy with the leadership’ of the Labour Party.

Her resignation came just hours after a prominent Labour backbencher accused the party leader Keir Starmer of humiliating leading Welsh politicians amid rising anger at the Prime Minister in the Senedd.

Blaenau Gwent MS Alun Davies criticised Mr Starmer in a Senedd debate after the Prime Minister was accused of rolling back devolution by directly funding local authorities in Wales in devolved areas.

Mr Davies said: “It is not fair that Wales is treated the way it is, and it is not fair that Welsh Ministers are humiliated - having to run to catch up because they don't know what's being said from London.