'I no longer recognise party' Labour councillor switches to the Greens

THE balance of power at Bristol City Council is on a knife-edge following the defection of a Labour member who accused his party of "following Reform's divisive rhetoric".

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Cllr Alsayed Al-Maghrabi, who is Palestinian, has joined the Green group, bolstering it to 35 members - half of the 70 seats on the council.

He said: "While today I am leaving the Labour Party, this is only because it has become apparent over time that the party has left me. I no longer recognise the values of fairness, compassion and social justice that inspired me to join, values that I now recognise in the Green Party.

"From refusing to tax wealth, continuing to enable genocide, and echoing Reform’s divisive rhetoric on immigration, I and many others have been deeply disappointed with the direction of the national leadership."

Mr Al-Maghrabi, who represents Frome Vale, added: "I want to make it absolutely clear that this decision is not a reflection on my local Labour colleagues, who continue to work hard for their communities and hold fast to the principles that once defined our movement."