Labour loses council majority after duo quit

Cherise Welch (left) and Caroline Egglestone were first elected to the council in 2023

Labour has lost its majority on a Berkshire council after two councillors quit.

Bracknell Forest councillors Cherise Welch and Caroline Egglestone said they had lost confidence in the party's national and local leadership and have together formed an independent group.

The change, which leaves the council in no overall control, means it has 20 Labour councillors, 10 Conservatives, seven Liberal Democrats, two Greens and two Independents.

Roy Bailey, the chair of Bracknell's constituency Labour Party, said he was "saddened and disappointed" by the departures but that members had tried hard to understand the councillors' "discontent".

Welch, who represents the borough of Harmans Water and Crown Wood, and Egglestone, who represents Bullbrook, were both first elected in 2023.

"The majority of our principles and beliefs that we hold dear have vanished within the Labour Party and for this reason we cannot continue to support them," they said.

The pair said they had "struggled" with local leaders "who have not been interested in opinions from us backbenchers, when they differ to their own".

They said that made further cooperation "impossible".

"We wish them well and hope that they can learn from our departure to improve on how they work internally," they added.

The council's next election is due to take place in May 2027.

Bailey, the authority's cabinet member for children and young people, said: "Considerable effort was put in by me and others to get a proper understanding of what was at the heart of their discontent.

"However, now that they have made their decision, I only wish them well.

"As for the future of our Labour-run administration, the vast majority of council votes during the last two years have been unanimous, principally because we have also striven to work closely and collaboratively with all the other parties.

"We are confident this will continue to be the case."