Peterborough councillor resigns from Labour Group after ‘bullying and marginalisation’ accusations
Cllr Daisy Blakemore-Creedon will sit as an independent on Peterborough City Council
A Peterborough councillor accused the local Labour Group of bullying and marginalisation as she resigned from the party.
Cllr Daisy Blakemore-Creedon was elected as a Fletton and Woodston ward councillor on Peterborough City Council last May at just 18 years old, making her one of the youngest councillors in the country.
A year on, Cllr Blakemore-Creedon has resigned from the Labour Group and will now represent her residents as an independent councillor.
In a statement published on social media on May 5, the 19-year-old claimed she sustained “bullying and marginalisation” within the group after raising serious concerns, which she believed were “not treated with the seriousness they deserved”.
She also said: “I was deeply disturbed to find myself accused of racism, with suggestions that I and my family were ‘targeting fellow Asian Labour councillors’. These accusations are completely unfounded and deeply hurtful.”
Cllr Blakemore-Creedon claims she raised a formal complaint regarding the matters, which have been delayed.
She says she reported an “antisemitic incident involving a prominent Labour Party supporter in Peterborough”, which she claims also remains unaddressed.
Her statement reads: “These experiences have left me with no confidence that I can continue to serve residents as a member of the Labour Group, given the hostile environment I have faced simply for speaking out.
“Moving forward, I will continue to represent my residents as an independent councillor. Without the constraints of the party whip, I will be free to vote solely in the best interests of my community, without pressure to conform to internal party agendas.
“I remain fully committed to serving the people of my ward. However, if residents feel that I can no longer effectively represent them in this capacity, I will respect that view.”
A Labour Party Spokesperson said: “All complaints are assessed thoroughly in line with the Labour Party’s rules and procedures.”
Leader of Peterborough City Council and of the Labour Group, Dennis Jones, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it was “disappointing” that cllr Blakemore-Creedon had resigned.
He added: “Nevertheless, the PCC Labour Group will continue to work hard to deliver for local residents as we always have.”
The current make up of Peterborough City Council now includes 17 Labour councillors, 13 Peterborough First councillors, 11 Conservative councillors, eight Liberal Democrat councillors, six Independent councillors and five Green Party councillors.