Peterborough First leader says group isn't deliberately targeting Conservative seats in local elections

Peterborough First would have fielded candidates in any ward where a viable option came forward, the group’s leader has said.

Cllr Chris Harper (Peterborough First, Stanground South) is one of eight standing for election to Peterborough City Council (PCC) this year under their banner.

All are standing in wards whose current councillor is either a member of Peterborough First or the Conservative Party (Eye, Thorney and Newborough, Glinton and Castor and Hampton Vale).

Much of the Peterborough First group, including Cllr Harper and council leader Cllr Mohammed Farooq (Peterborough First, Hargate and Hempsted), are ex-Conservatives, but Cllr Harper says this is down to circumstance, not strategy.

“If we had someone in another ward that came forward, we would have put them up if we felt they were right for the ward,” he said.

The goal for the group this year is to retain its current set of councillors and hopefully win a couple more seats, he added.

“A lot of people do know what Peterborough First stands for and they like the fact we don’t have a whip and that, although we’re a registered party, we don’t use party politics,” he said.

“We’re just a group of independents. It’s certainly been welcomed.”

Cllr Harper added that, in his ward at least, it’s “50/50” as to whether people he speaks to on doorsteps while campaigning are familiar with the group and its status in the council.

“It was a big thing to take over a council with a small group of 11,” he said. “It even made national papers.”

Peterborough First took over from the Conservatives after launching a vote of no confidence in previous leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald (Conservatives, West) and his administration in November last year.

'No conflict between being a party and independents'

Cllr Harper says members of the group identifying themselves as independent councillors while also representing Peterborough First hasn’t confused residents and isn’t a problem when making decisions.

“It seems to be because a lot of us are like-minded individuals, with similar thought patterns, we find that most of us agree,” he said.

“There’s no real in-fighting and there’s no pressure. There’s no whip; there’s no punishment or threat of deselection.”

“The only thing we stipulate is that you can’t say ‘what Peterborough First are going to do’ unless we all agree to it.”

Peterborough First isn’t the only group on the council without a whip; i.e. a member who ensures all others vote the same way.

The Greens also don’t have a whip, meaning individual councillors can vote differently from each other.

Cllr Harper is the only PCC group leader up for re-election this year and will be defending his seat on 2nd May. He was last elected as a Conservative.

Last year, Conservative leader Cllr Fitzgerald and Greens leader Cllr Nicola Day (Greens, Orton Waterville) both successfully defended their seats.

If re-elected, Cllr Harper may continue as group leader, even though his Peterborough First colleague Cllr Farooq has led the council for the last six months.

“I’ve not had an inclination of us having a new group leader, but it could be the case,” he said. “It’ll be down to nominations and a vote.”

All groups will hold their annual general meetings after the elections where group leaders are selected.