Labour to choose new Deputy Leader within days

Sheffield Labour Group earlier this year at the local elections

The Labour Group will meet on Monday, which will be the first time members have been together since six councillors resigned their Cabinet positions over the long Bank Holiday weekend.

There is speculation there could be a vote of no confidence in Leader Julie Dore, although she cannot be forced out as Labour Leader and can only be replaced if she resigns voluntarily.

The Group will choose a new Deputy Leader to replace Coun Olivia Blake, who quit suddenly last Friday.

And the Leader will need to choose a new Cabinet member to replace Coun Lewis Dagnall, who stepped down on Sunday.

There is a meeting of full council next Wednesday so having a new Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for environment, streetscene and climate change will be pressing.

Coun Blake is also the prospective Parliamentary candidate for Sheffield Hallam and is married to Coun Dagnall.

They were joined by Councillors Fran Johnson, Sophie Wilson, Moya O’Rourke and Adam Hurst, who also quit their Cabinet roles at the weekend. All remain as Labour councillors.

The six resigned in support of the It’s Our City campaign. A 26,000-name petition was handed into the Town Hall on Friday and looks set to spark a referendum. Campaigners want to move away from the ruling Cabinet system to committees, which they believe is more democratic.