Councillor for Fletton and Woodston ward 'resigns' from Labour to join Peterborough Green Party

A Peterborough City Councillor who was elected as a member of the Labour Party has left the group – joining The Green Party ahead of this years vote.

Councillor Imiataz Ali was elected to represent the Fletton and Woodston ward in 2021, but has now said his politics ‘no longer align’ with the politics of the Labour Party.

In a Facebook post, he said he had not been selected by the party to stand for election later this year – a decision he said he had decided not to appeal against – and said he had resigned his membership from the party.

He has now announced he will continue to be a councillor in the ward, joining the Green Party ahead of the local elections which are set to take place in May this year.

‘I am delighted the Green Party has welcomed me’

He said: “The Green Party’s policies and values can help create fairer greener communities. I feel that Green policies align much closer to my views and I feel like a valuable member of the team working in the city’s interest with a spirit of collaboration. I am therefore delighted that the Green Party has welcomed me to join their strong team.

“We are facing some challenging times with inflation rampant and the Cost of Living Crisis affecting most of our residents, particularly families on low income. We also continue to face a worsening climate crisis and weather seems to be in the news more and more, be it local, national or international. The Green Party know that we have to tackle the cost of living crisis and the climate crisis in combination and are supportive of green initiatives that generate wealth as well as offset our carbon footprint.”

‘He has been doing some great work in his ward’

Green Group Leader, Cllr Nicola Day added: “I am delighted that Cllr Ali has chosen to join the Green Party. He feels more aligned to Green Party policies and has been doing some great work in his ward on behalf of Fletton and Woodston residents which has included the planting of wildflowers, planting of a mini forest, and championing a project at the council for a solar farm. In these times of extreme climatic crisis it has never been more important to have strong Green Party Councillors in local government. I wish Imtiaz a warm welcome and look forward to working with him.”

Cllr Ali is not the first councillor to move from the Labour Party to the Green Party in Peterborough.

In July, Orton Longueville ward councillor Cllr Heather Skibsted switched between the parties, saying ‘Green policies aligned much closer’ to her views.

Cllr Ali’s defection means the make up of Peterborough City Council is: 28 Conservative councillors, 15 Labour, eight Liberal Democrat, four members of Peterborough First, four members of the Green Party, and one independent councillor.

The Peterborough Telegraph has contacted Peterborough’s Labour Party leader cllr Shaz Nawaz for comment.