News from Labour Matters

Top Tory in Sandwell joins Labour over school building shambles

Labour’s leadership candidates have warmly welcomed councillor Elaine Costigan into the Labour Party after she dramatically defected declaring that she was “ashamed to be a Conservative” because of cuts to the Building Schools for the Future fund, reports the BBC:

Ms Costigan, who is deputy leader of the Conservative group at the council, said: “This community has been treated with utter contempt by the government over the slashing of the school building programme.

“When Michael Gove backed out of his promise to come and apologise to the parents, pupils and staff he had so badly let down, I felt ashamed to be a Conservative.”

Ray Nock, leader of the Conservatives on the West Midlands council, said he was “totally shocked” that Ms Costigan had “jumped ship”.

“Only weeks ago Councillor Costigan was openly attacking local Labour Party policies,” he said.

Shadow Education Secretary Ed Balls said he had spoken with Ms Costigan and was “delighted” by her switch.

He told BBC News: “The cancellation of the new school buildings in Sandwell is a huge blow to the aspirations of children there as well as to jobs in the local area.

“It’s doubly worse because Michael Gove said it’s going to go ahead in Sandwell then he had to say he’d made a mistake.

“There’s huge anger among parents, among teachers and head teachers, and now that has spread to the Conservative group in Sandwell as well.”

Read the full article.

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