New Sunderland Council leader “running scared” after silencing opposition councillors at key council meetings
Opposition Liberal Democrat councillors have slammed the new Leader of Sunderland Council for refusing to answer questions in public on his decision-making by silencing democratically elected councillors.
The new Leader of Sunderland Council has been accused of running scared of scrutiny after he decided to refuse to let opposition councillors ask questions or scrutinise decisions taken by the authority’s ruling cabinet in thier monthly meetings in June and again today (18 July).
Previous Council Leader Graeme Miller allowed elected councillors to quiz the cabinet as they were making key decisions about the future of Sunderland – but new Leader Michael Mordey refuses to let democratically elected councillors ask questions or quiz cabinet members about the decisions they are making.
Labour leader of Sunderland Council Michael Mordey was imposed by Labour’s London and Newcastle HQs, against the wishes of Labour councillors on the city council.
Commenting after attending today’s Sunderland Council Cabinet meeting, at which he was silenced by Michael Mordey, Pallion and Ford Estate Lib Dem Councillor Martin Haswell said:
“Labour’s new leader – imposed by their London and Newcastle HQs as a Keir Starmer ‘yes man’ – is cravenly silencing democratically elected councillors from scrutinising the decisions and spending commitments that are made by the ruling cabinet.
“The only logical conclusion is that he and his new cabinet members are so weak, inexperienced and terrified of saying something that hasn’t been approved by Keir Starmer and Kim McGuinness’ offices that they are running scared of answering questions or defending their own policies.
“This pathetic silencing of opposition voices that have been democratically elected by the people of Sunderland shows just how shaky Michael Mordey’s tenuous grip on power at Sunderland Council is. If he carries on like this, he won’t last long in the Leader’s office.”
