Oldham Council remains without a leader after another chaotic meeting saw accusations that Labour and Reform UK are 'in cahoots' and pleas for unity as residents 'laugh at us'. The local authority has been in limbo for over two months following May's local elections, which left no party with a majority or even a third of seats.
Legal Warnings Issued
On July 2, the council's top legal officer, Alex Bougetaf, sent a letter stating that the current situation 'does not comply with the law' and that the failure to appoint a leader and key office holders is 'unlawful'. He warned that if no leader is elected, he would prepare a Section 5 report, which is issued when a monitoring officer believes the council has broken or is about to break the law. The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands this report will likely be issued within two weeks, following external legal advice, marking the first such report due to a political deadlock. Once issued, councillors would have 21 days to discuss the situation publicly. If no agreement is reached, officers would seek government intervention.
Failed Votes and Accusations
At the July 15 meeting, bids for leadership were put forward by Labour, Reform UK, and an alliance of smaller parties, but none secured enough votes. The alliance proposed a rotating cabinet representing all parties, but this was not voted on. Oldham Group leader Kamran Ghafoor accused Labour and Reform of being 'in cahoots'. Reform leader Lewis Quigg rejected coalitions, stating that voters did not back 'a hodgepodge swapping leaders every five minutes like some sort of game'. He called the alliance's proposals 'unfair and undemocratic'.
Chaotic Scenes and Pleas for Unity
The meeting descended into rows, with one councillor walking out. Councillor Helen Bishop shouted 'please have some manners'. Independent councillor Mohammed Mohib Abu Taleb urged colleagues to find a solution, adding: 'When we go out, people start laughing at us.' Mayor Pam Byrne called for 'more decorum' after Labour leader Arooj Shah was shouted over. Shah accused other parties of misleading the public and pitting communities against each other, saying: 'The Oldham Group and Reform in very different ways are unhelpful to Oldham's sense of pride and togetherness.' Reform councillor Robert Barnes countered: 'We didn't vote and the public didn't vote to put the Labour Party back in... The Labour Party are now trying via the back door to get back into power.'
Ongoing Crisis
With no leader elected, council officers continue using emergency powers to maintain services. Key political decisions remain on hold, and multiple meetings have been cancelled. Tributes were paid during the meeting to firefighters battling a blaze at Dove Stone Reservoir and to former councillor Jack Hulme, who recently died.
