Peterborough Labour leader re-elected

Cllr Shaz Nawaz was re-elected unopposed at Monday night’s AGM.

The member for Park ward first took up the role in 2018 and will now continue until at least May 2022.

A deputy leader has not been selected.

Labour currently has 17 seats out of 60 at the Town Hall having failed to make any gains at the recent local elections.

More than half of the party’s councillors have also been suspended with Labour saying it is investigating allegations of antisemitism.

Cllr Nawaz, who was re-elected as a councillor earlier this month, said: “I’m delighted to have been re-elected unopposed as leader of the Labour group.

“We have a local of work to do. As a responsible opposition we will support the administration when policies are genuinely for the benefit and betterment of the city. At the same time, as the main opposition, we will hold them to account and scrutinise decisions to ensure all our residents see tangible improvements.

“The Labour group wants to see more council-owned homes, better educational attainment, a stronger local economy and we want Peterborough to be the best city to live in, amongst a list of other key priorities. We will do what we can to help make that happen.”