By-election call over councillor 'defection'

THE ruling Labour group is calling for a by-election after Plymouth's first openly trans councillor defected to the Liberal Democrats. Dylan Tippetts resigned from the Labour Party last Friday accusing it of "throwing transgender people under the bus" and just five days later joined the Liberal Democrats.

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

Today, Cllr Tippetts' former Labour colleagues called on him to re-fight the Compton seat as a Lib Dem. Labour has also called for Southway councillor Carol Ney to face a by-election after she ditched the party and joined Plymouth City Council 's group of Independents, also last Friday.

A Labour spokesperson today told PlymouthLive: "The people of Compton ward did not choose a Lib Dem councillor. In fact only 308 people voted for their candidate when Dylan was elected in 2022.

"We are disappointed that he has defected again after less than a week as an independent councillor. Now he's in another party he should contest the seat under his new colours in a by-election."