Former Sandwell Council: I'm still in dark over Labour suspension
A former council leader claims he remains in the dark over why he was suspended by the Labour Party 12 months ago.
Steve Eling was suspended by the party's National Executive Committee in January 2019, after a number of complaints were made against him.
As a result, Mr Eling, who represented the Abbey Ward in Smethwick, stepped down as Sandwell Council leader in February 2019.
He was then deselected by the party in the May 2019 local elections, along with some other Sandwell councillors.
Since his suspension, Mr Eling has been under investigation. But Mr Eling said: "I have still not been told what charges I face. I shouldn't have been suspended in the first place.
"I could have stood as an independent but decided not too. The Labour Party would not let me stand as a Labour candidate."
It is not known what the complaints relate to.
But a Labour Party spokesman said: "Steve Eling remains suspended while an investigation continues."
Mr Eling believes he was "stabbed in the back" by Labour and was forced out of the party for being "right wing".
And he claims councillors in Sandwell are in a "state of civil war" - which has caught up with them in recent elections.
Mr Eling continued: "In my time as leader we dealt with some difficult issues. The Labour Party promised me support in dealing with those at a difficult time, then stabbed me in the back.
"I have still not been told what 'charges' I face. That's probably because it is just a political scam as I was being branded as 'right wing'.
"They seem to be in the habit of suspending anyone that they think is a threat.
"Sandwell is openly in a state of civil war, which is widely reported on. That's very sad. The general election results in Sandwell were bad. They must in part be because of what is happening locally."
He claims this "civil war" began over the publication of the Wragge Report in 2016, which found a former deputy council leader had breached numerous codes of conduct.
In the general election in November 2019, the Conservatives won the Labour stronghold seats of West Bromwich East and West.
These had only ever been Labour-held since the constituencies were established in 1974.
Asked about Mr Eling's remarks on the political landscape in Sandwell, the borough's council leader, Yvonne Davies, said: "It is a shame that he continues to comment about particular matters in Sandwell. I think he will be better off concentrating on his own issues."
