Ex-councillor speaks out after resigning from scandal-hit council

A senior politician who says she was ‘fundamentally at odds’ with her own party has resigned from Tameside Council.

Jacqueline North stepped down as the Longdendale representative and from the Labour group last week.

The former councillor, who was deputy leader and finance boss under Coun Ged Cooney’s leadership, said radical changes are needed within Labour locally.

“In order to reengage with the public in Tameside there is an urgent need to face up to the necessity for real change,” the former councillor told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“Radical policy changes are needed to cut through to the public. It’s difficult to do that.

“I’m not saying it’s not possible but it will need some radical changes in both the council and the Labour Party. The Labour group will have to face up to that, but if not, they will have a difficult election in 2026.”

Her decision has come in the aftermath of yet more turmoil in the borough’s political landscape.

The ‘Trigger Me Timbers’ WhatsApp group saw Gorton and Denton MP Andrew Gwynne sacked as a government minister, and 12 Tameside and Stockport councillors suspended from the Labour party. Offensive messages from the group made up of local politicians were leaked and sparked outrage amongst the public.

The former Longdendale representative was critical of her party in the wake of this scandal – pushing for a change in its culture. However, she does not believe change will come anytime soon, which prompted her resignation.

The resignation letter, addressed to her constituents, read: “In recent months I have found myself fundamentally at odds with my political party on a number of fronts and I can see no prospect of that changing in the next two years.

“As a consequence, I do not believe I will be able to continue exercising the influence you deserve on Tameside Council, nor with the local MPs. I have therefore resigned from both the Labour Party and Tameside Council. 

“It is likely that a by-election will be called in the coming weeks at which you can give voice to your views on the current local situation. 

“If you are inconvenienced as a result of this I do sincerely apologise. It was a difficult decision but there is no good time to resign.”

A by-election to fill the vacant seat for the Longdendale ward is expected to take place in the coming weeks. No date has officially been confirmed by the council.