Former Tory councillor who quit over national party politics endorses Labour in Rother Valley

Councillor Tracey Wilson has been a member of Rotherham Council since 2021 when she was elected as a Conservative in the Anston and Woodsetts ward.

However, she decided to quit the party and became an independent in December last year, citing “significant and irreconcilable differences” with the party, the Rotherham Advertiser reported at the time.

Now, she has told the Local Democracy Service that she has thrown her weight behind Jake Richards, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Rother Valley.

She said: “I am a ‘get your hands dirty’ and ‘get the job done’ kind of person. I prefer to actively collaborate and amicably resolve issues without great fanfare, and I certainly don’t take credit for things that other people have done.

“I expect the same authenticity, commitment and most of all honesty from those representing me and our communities. I believe Jake (Richards) to be all three of these.

“Jake actively gets involved in our communities and gets his hands dirty whether the camera is there or not and talks about national issues, the issues that MPs actually have active control over to influence.

“He has committed to our area with his growing family, putting down roots here whether he is elected or not and most of all, I have seen an honesty that one rarely sees in our MPs.”

When she was asked why she decided to pledge her support now, Cllr Wilson criticised the area’s incumbent MP, Alexander Stafford, by claiming that Mr Stafford’s ‘rhetoric’ was damaging the borough.

She said: “There is a symbiotic relationship across our community, there is not a huge Berlin wall that divides us. Products and services offered in town are often sourced from the wider borough, including Rother Valley.

“Rother Valley hospitality businesses in Conservative-held Wards for example have arms of their businesses in town and the constant negative rhetoric from Alexander Stafford, his team and his followers, affects their ability to succeed.

“As regards the community outside of the business arena, the same applies. It appears that the aim is to again pit communities against each other and divide them by presenting misleading information at best and at worst blatantly false information.

“After 13 years of Conservative government, it’s time for a change. Alexander Stafford has failed to take any responsibility for his party’s disastrous record in government.

“He shows up for photo opportunities but is only interested in winning votes and turning people against one another. I saw this first hand when I was a Conservative Councillor – and could not stand by.”

The Local Democracy Service has put these claims to Mr Stafford.

He said: “I understand that Cllr Wilson no longer lives in Rother Valley and I wish her success in her new retail business venture in Rotherham town centre.

“Cllr Wilson’s recent record of supporting the Labour council’s decisions to concrete over the countryside of Rother Valley without supporting first the necessary improvements to infrastructure and public services, while the council spends over £120 million in regenerating the town centre to the neglect of areas such as Anston & Woodsetts, is not what her constituents are telling me they support on the doorstep.

“That she chooses to support Rotherham Labour who prioritise Central Rotherham first, is disappointing but her decision.

“As Member of Parliament for Rother Valley, the residents of North Anston, South Anston and Woodsetts would expect me to fight for their villages, which is what I am doing and will continue to do so.”

In 2019, Alexander Stafford became the first Conservative MP in Rother Valley’s 100 years of history by a majority of 6,318.