The man who became Bitterne Park ward’s first Labour councillor in 2022 has been stripped of his party membership.
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Tony Bunday, who was re-elected to represent the ward this May in the city’s all-out election, says he’s had his party membership terminated for 'liking' social media posts concerning a Portsmouth independent candidate.
He has revealed the news “with sadness” in an open letter to party members and residents, available to view here as a PDF.
He says that he must now sit as an independent, or Co-operative Party, councillor in the council chamber until his term of office ends in May.
Cllr Bunday says the posts concerned a Portsmouth City Council candidate who was standing not on a Labour, but an independent ticket.
The candidate, Cal Corkery, who has since been elected as a Portsmouth independent councillor, had himself reportedly had his Labour membership terminated.
Bunday says about one post in his letter “there is nothing in the picture to inform me that Cal was actually launching his own campaign to stand, and win, as an Independent”.
He also stresses his values haven’t changed: “I will continue to work for a Labour victory at the next election and to support a Southampton Labour Council,” he writes, adding that he treasures that “as a team, we were able to deliver our first ever Labour Councillor and gain a full sweep this May. I remain proud of the work I have done within the ward, on the council, and on the Fire Authority.”
And the man who became the ward’s ‘first ever’ Labour councillor in 2022 confesses that it has been a “difficult and somewhat bruising four months”.
But, he concludes, he gets his pension in April, “so personally the timing is great. And I will soon find a new cause!”
While Labour enjoys a significant majority on the council, it’s unclear how the decision will affect both the council committees which Bunday chairs, and next May’s local elections in the ward.
This year Labour was able to put forward three successful candidates in Bitterne Park, pictured left, who all live locally, and the party underlined this benefit at the election and since. But it’s not often possible to field such local candidates in local elections, and it remains to be seen what will happen next year.
Responding to a request for comment a Labour Party spokesperson said: “I can confirm that Cllr Tony Bunday is no longer a member of the Labour Party, and is therefore no longer a Labour councillor.”
Joint ward organiser for Labour, Stephen Barnes-Andrews, said: “I would like to thank Tony for his all hard work in Bitterne Park.”
The other Bitterne Park ward councillors were approached for comment.
Cllr Bunday has the option to appeal.
Photo: Three triumphant candidates for Bitterne Park following the May 2023 elections. Pic: Carol Bunday
Article updated 3/12/23 with a link to a revised version of Tony Bunday's letter at his request, as Kirsty Mellor was not also expelled as previously suggested but rather resigned from the Labour Party.