Rapturous celebrations are breaking out at the John Charles Centre for Sport. The spectators aren’t cheering on an athletic feat, but a political one. It’s Friday 8 May — local election results day — and in Leeds there are seismic changes.
The Labour party has taken a battering, and the Greens are big winners. Their presence on the council has almost doubled from six councillors to 11. “Lost for words”, Nilesh Chohan, wide-eyed and beaming, tells the BBC, just moments after ousting Labour’s deputy leader, Jonathan Pryor.
It was a high watermark for the party. But since then, relationships among councillors and members have soured very quickly. An e-mail from one member last week described the party as “a toxic and unpleasant place to be.” Councillors have openly called for their colleagues to be suspended. Two warring camps have formed, with one of those on the side of Mothin Ali (co-deputy leader for the Greens in England and Wales, and Leeds councillor) taking to a party WhatsApp group to decry “cuntcillors” among the ranks. There are allegations of Islamophobia and others are in despair. One party member has described his ordeal and the turmoil in the group as “soul-destroying”. Another tells us: “It will never be the same. It will be a long time before we can function.”
How, then, has it come to this?
'The only thing I'll say to you is: no comment, mate.'
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