MAYOR Martin Winter today blamed alleged bullying by Doncaster Labour Party for his decision to set up his own breakaway Labour group.
He described a "maggot in the body" of Doncaster Labour Party in a joint statement issued along with fellow defectors Coun Stuart Exelby and Coun Eva Hughes.
The statement was described by Labour Group chairman Coun Mick Jameson as "outrageous and appalling".
Mr Winter, Coun Exelby and Coun Hughes last week refused to sign Labour registration forms, choosing instead to meet with the authority's managing director Paul Hart and register themselves as an independent group, as exclusively revealed by The Star on Saturday
Coun Exelby attended the council's group leaders' meeting on Monday as the leader of the new group - Joe Blackham, the national Labour party's Doncaster leader left the meeting when Mr Exelby arrived.
Mr Winter, and Couns Exelby and Hughes yesterday released a statement which said they did not want to leave the Labour Party and did not consider their actions lightly or hysterically.
It claimed there were Labour members attempting to "rule" the Labour Group in Doncaster through intimidation, fear and victimisation and they said could no longer stand by and ignore what had been happening.
It added: "As a result, we are not willing to recognise this behaviour, or this 'group' as being reflective of the ethics and culture of our Labour Party - this type of behaviour is reflective of the militant activity seen in Liverpool in the 1980s.
"Bullying behaviour of any kind should always be challenged, yet throughout history individuals have stood by and ignored those most in need of help.
"We now call upon the Labour Party, nationally, to end the activities of this maggot in the body of the Labour Party in Doncaster."
Yesterday afternoon the three failed to turn up to a meeting of the town's official Labour group.
Mick Jameson, spokesman for the official Labour group on the council, said he was shocked to hear the statement.
He told The Star: "The three have been given 14 days to rejoin the party, but in the light of this statement I can seen that being reduced.
"It is outrageous and appalling.
"There have been complaints about their actions to both the regional party and the national executive committee.
"To call people maggots and militants is obscene - apart from anything else there are no militants in the Doncaster Labour party.
"The statement is simply shocking."
Meanwhile, the national Labour Party has urged Mr Winter and others involved in the row to work constructively with all concerned for the good of Doncaster and demonstrate clear, mature leadership.
A spokesperson said: "The Labour Party will continue to call on all individuals concerned to work together in a constructive manner for the benefit of the people of Doncaster."
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