Labour party bosses threatened to strip me of title, says ex-Lord Mayor Colin Hall
Former Lord Mayor Colin Hall says Labour party bosses threatened to strip him of his historic role if he did not help push through the position of elected mayor.
He spoke out as thousands of people went to the polls yesterday to decide who should be the city's first elected mayor and lead the council for the next four years.
The way the position came about was controversial – there was no referendum, as some other areas had done, and the opposition parties on the council said it was a bad idea.
Mr Hall, who was Lord Mayor of Leicester until last month, has lifted the lid on how he believes the position was created.
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He said former city MP Sir Peter Soulsby, who is running for mayor, former city council leader Ross Willmott and Leicester East MP Keith Vaz all wanted an elected mayor.
He added: "Both Peter and Ross were confident they would win it, and Keith has been keen on the issue for some time. There was talk of him standing at one point.
"The decision on whether to have an elected mayor was timed to take place at the same time as Labour councillors were standing for re-selection in their own wards.
"Many of them didn't want to show dissent because they were afraid they would lose the seats they'd represented for years. Much of the pressure was subtle, but some of it was more obvious.
He added: "As Lord Mayor I was keen to make sure that we had public meetings on the subject but I was told quite clearly that the party would withdraw the whip and remove me from the party if insisted. "There were also suggestions made that a vote could be held to strip me of my position as Lord Mayor."
Mr Hall, speaking while on a holiday after choosing not to help his party campaign in the city, said he believed had there been a referendum it would have been lost.
He said: "The constituents I've spoken to weren't desperate for an elected mayor.
"Their concerns are about crime, jobs, healthcare and regeneration."
He claimed the ruling Labour group of 2011 is now split.
In November Mr Hall was deselected by the Labour Party as their candidate for his New Parks council ward.
At the time, fellow politicians blamed his impending exit on factors including his refusal to support Labour over the issue of an elected mayor.
Mr Willmott said: "I have always supported Coun Hall in his position as Lord Mayor, even when others were being critical of him."
The Leicester Mercury also contacted Sir Peter and Mr Vaz yesterday – but did not receive a comment back from them.
Comments
by Nick Miles, Red Socialist Backward Leicester
Friday, May 06 2011, 8:26PM
“And still the drones voted Labour, as we have been told!”
by Adrian, Leicester
Friday, May 06 2011, 4:33PM
“"There is something rotten at the heart of Denmark"”
by Kulgan, Crydee
Friday, May 06 2011, 1:34PM
“@Anon,
Of course he biased. He is (was) a politician.....”
by anon, Leicester
Friday, May 06 2011, 1:29PM
“I am sure he would have wanted to speak earlier but it would have been deemed biased if the press had let us the public know.When it comes to POLITICS the rest of us do not stand a chance!! I hope he does well in what ever he has choosen to do in the future Good Luck !Mr.Colin Hall. Honesty in politics does no ever prevail.”
by Jane, Another Planet
Friday, May 06 2011, 11:28AM
“"An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied." Arnold H. Glasow”
by Jim, Leicester
Friday, May 06 2011, 11:28AM
“God help us all if Soulsby win nothing will change only labour party policies will take president not what us the public want, another job to oil labours pockets and no one elses, let us hope he does not win.”
by David, Great Easton, Rural Leicestershire.
Friday, May 06 2011, 10:54AM
“Although I have been a pretty staunch opposer of Cllr. Hall and the way he acted whilst Lord Mayor I am not at all surprised and what he is now saying.
Like most who have written before why on earth didn't he express his views far earlier.
We all know the reason why the New Labour controlled City Council acted is such a shabby fashion and why folk still vote for them is, to me, an utter mystery.
They have done wrong and put themselves first before the citizens of Leicester and that is a great shame for democracy.”
by Steve, Countesthorpe
Friday, May 06 2011, 9:53AM
“Are any of you surprised? Mr Hall should have spoken out long before this if he was being bullied into something he didn't agree with, but I guess the title meant more to him than the public!!
To late to bleat now as an Ex Mayor, but I am sure he will always hold deep regrets on his behaviour if he speaks the truth now!!!....very difficult to know who to believe after the event!!”
by Graham, Whetstone
Friday, May 06 2011, 9:24AM
“I think this just illustrates what the Council Politbureau thought of 'democracy', and says everything about why there wasn't a referendum on the matter.
But we knew that anyway, didn't we...”
by Kulgan, Crydee
Friday, May 06 2011, 9:23AM
“When Sir Peter Soulsby wins the election as Mayor his historic first term as the first elected mayor of Leicester will forever be tainted with the spectre of political engineering instead of serving the people.”