Labour council leader quits with attack on 'sexist bullying' by Jeremy Corbyn supporters
3 min read
A Labour council leader has accused supporters of Jeremy Corbyn of "sexism" and "bullying" as she announced she was standing down.
Claire Kober said she was quitting as head of Haringey Council after nearly 10 years following a bitter row over a proposed housing development.
Opponents of the controversial Haringey Development Vehicle have led a campaign of deselections which has led to the replacement of several Labour councillors with left-wing rivals.
The row took a further twist last week when Labour's ruling National Executive Committee, which now has a pro-Corbyn majority, called on the council to ditch the HDV plan.
That led to dozens of Labour council leaders in England and Wales signing a letter protesting at the unusual move.
Announcing her plan to stand down as council leader at May's local elections, Ms Kober said: "The sexism, bullying, undemocratic behaviour and outright personal attacks on me as the most senior woman in Labour local government have left me disappointed and disillusioned."
She warned Labour that "ideological dogma" would do nothing to improve the lives of residents in her area.
"Only a determination to find practical solutions - in partnership with other sectors - offers them any realistic prospect of a better, more secure future," she said.
"For me the responsibility of political office is to work to improve people’s lives even when that means finding solutions that aren’t always an ideologically comfortable fit.
"Political issues are rarely binary, solutions are not simply good or bad. Political leadership is about setting a vision and working to deliver on it using whatever tools are available.
"That is how we deliver improved outcomes for the communities that seek to gain most from Labour in government, be that local or national."
Ms Kober was backed by Labour MP Stella Creasy.
'HARD LEFT'
Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis said: "From Labour headquarters to Haringey Council, Jeremy Corbyn’s hard-left supporters continue their takeover of the Labour party.
"And whether it’s calling for huge council tax hikes, supporting bin strikes or blocking local housebuilding, it's working people who’ll pay the price.
"It is the Conservatives that are working hard locally to keep taxes low, our streets secure and are delivering on the services we all rely on."
But Shadow Local Government Secretary Andrew Gwynne said: "I am sorry that Claire Kober is standing down, she has led Haringey through a very difficult time for local government, with councils battling to provide vital services in the face of brutal 40% cuts from Tory ministers.
"The housing crisis is a national scandal caused in 10 Downing Street. However there are issues specific to Haringey that have caused concern for many residents and local politicians, which is why I have been asked to mediate.
"I am committed to working with Haringey Council, its residents and local MPs, to tackle the housing crisis in the borough and take the fight to this Conservative government whose cuts are devastating communities across the country."
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