Retford: County Councillor Campbell resigns from Labour party

Coun Campbell, the member for Retford West, says he hopes his decision to quit the party at County Hall will be the ‘kick up the backside Labour needs’.

His decision means Labour’s overall majority of one is wiped out, although they remain the largest party at County Hall with 33 seats, to the Conservatives’ 21, while the Liberal Democrats have eight.

Coun Campbell will remain at County Hall as an Independent and says his decision came after weeks of consideration.

“Basically, I just don’t like the way the Labour party is going at county level and I had to quit,” he said.

“There are decisions and policies being made and voted on that I don’t think are in the best interests of the residents I serve in Retford.”

“This is not a bolt from the blue, I have been considering it for several weeks and in the end, I knew this was the right thing to do.”

Coun Campbell said this relationship with Labour hit a steady decline from the moment he was given a written warning for abstaining from a vote on bus service cuts.

“The whole issue of the bus cuts didn’t sit right with me and to be warned about not voting for it was the writing on the wall as far as I was concerned,” he continued.

“After that I sepnt several month thinking about my position and now I have decided that the best way I can represent the people of Retford is to resign from the Labour party and become an Independent.”

“As an Independent I have freedom to focus on the issues that matter locally to my residents.”

“Within a party I was often silent in voting but now I can vote and speak on issues that matter to me and my residents without the fear of being tied down by party policy.”