Labour councillor defected to Conservatives 'after being turned down for cabinet role'

Councillor Gurmukh "Mak" Singh, who has represented the Spring Vale ward in Wolverhampton for five years, made the announcement on Monday.

He said he joined Labour Party due to it representing "the ordinary person" but those values and beliefs had now "faded away" from the political party.

Now the Wolverhampton Labour Party has slammed Councillor Singh's decision to join the Tories only a few weeks after being refused the promotion.

A statement, posted to Facebook, said: "I am really sorry to announce that you have been let down and Mr Mak Singh has emailed me to say he doesn’t believe in Labour values and will be instead join the Tories.

"He not only deceived you but the Labour Group as well. He accepted being a Labour Councillor for five years and never once said he had issues.

"Even after his election day victory he asked could be be promoted to my new cabinet, and now a few weeks later after I declined his request he has shown his contempt to his ex-Labour colleagues and to you by joining the Tories."

The statement added the new Labour candidate for Spring Vale would be selected and urged the councillor to use "his last ounce of self-respect to resign, and put his new values and his party to the test in Spring Vale."

The statement concluded by saying if Councillor Singh's new values align to the Tories' values then "what could have been a distinguished political career will end like others who cross the floor, a small footnote in the history of Wolverhampton politics."

Councillor Singh, who was first elected in 2016 and comfortably defeated the Tory candidate in his ward in May, said in his statement: "I realise my announcement will come as a surprise to many. In these unprecedented times, it is not able being on the left, right, or centre; it is about getting outcomes for local people.

"I know that many residents agree with me and I am grateful to those who told me, at the recent elections, that they were voting for me on a personal level."

Councillor Singh, who said Prime Minister has put "the people of this nation first", said it was all about "adding value" to our city and only the Conservatives "can do this".

He added: "I am just as dedicated to serving my residents, as someone who lives locally and is known to many as a community man and close friend. This was a difficult decision, but I passionately believe that it was the right one. I hope that people will judge me on my record - past, present, and future. I look forward to working in harmony with everyone to build on this."

The decision means the Conservatives now have 16 councillors on Wolverhampton Council, with Labour still in firm control with 43. There is one independent councillor.