New political party 'to be guided by residents'

Andy Polshaw stood as an independent candidate for Stoke-on-Trent Central in last year's general election

A new political party has been launched for north Staffordshire, and already has its first councillor after the defection of a former Labour representative.

The Potteries Party was founded by three former Labour members who left the party feeling that it was letting local people down and not listening to their concerns.

Party leader Andy Polshaw, along with James Bradbury and Paul Shipstone, said they were aiming to field candidates in future elections in the area.

It comes after Stoke-on-Trent city councillor David Mountford announced on Thursday morning that he had left Labour to join the Potteries Party.

Polshaw, who stood as an independent candidate for Stoke-on-Trent Central in last year's general election, said the party stood for inclusivity, local representation and public advocacy.

Beyond those "core principles", the party's policies and direction would be driven by its local supporters, he said.

"As a party we're going to be guided by what residents want. We will take ideas from the left, right or wherever, as long as they align with our core principles, such as inclusivity.

"We are different to Reform UK, because we believe in inclusivity. We want to represent everybody who lives and works in north Staffordshire – it doesn't matter where they come from.

"We are also local – we don't have to answer to a national party."

Having left Labour, David Mountford is currently the new party's only councillor

The party's three founding members were active members of the Labour Party in Stoke-on-Trent, but left following an internal row relating to the way Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Gareth Snell was selected when he was a candidate.

Polshaw said: "I joined the Labour Party in 2015, and we remained members after Keir Starmer became leader, but we became unhappy with the top-down way the party was being run."

Mountford, who was elected as a Labour councillor for Great Chell and Packmoor in 2023, said he believed voters in Stoke-on-Trent wanted a more collaborative approach to politics.

"We want to listen to what residents want and create a platform for them, rather than being a party that tells people what they should want."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.