Election results: Yvette Cooper blamed for Labour losses

The majority of people voted to leave the EU in Yvette Cooper's constituency

A Labour councillor has blamed his party's losses on MP Yvette Cooper, saying she "wouldn't know democracy if it scratched her in the eyeballs".

Steve Tulley, who was re-elected to serve South Kirby and South Elmsall, criticised the MP over Brexit.

The MP for Pontefract, Normanton and Castleford led an amendment which took a no-deal Brexit off the table.

Mr Tulley said the district had voted to leave the EU and her actions had caused Wakefield Council problems.

Ms Cooper has been approached for comment.

David Jones, chair of the Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford Labour Party, backed her, saying: "Our CLP supports Yvette's work to try to get a workable Brexit deal for jobs and prevent a chaotic no deal.

"We have 15,000 jobs in manufacturing and distribution in this constituency - Yvette is standing up for every single one of them and we are behind her."

Following Ms Cooper's amendment, a petition was started to deselect her as an MP.

'Take notice Westminster'

About 23,000 people signed it, although her office said the majority of those were from outside the constituency.

Mr Tulley's comments came in a speech after he was re-elected to the seat that he has held since 2011, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"There have been some wonderful candidates who've lost tonight," he said.

"And it's all because of the MP for Pontefract, Normanton and Castleford, who wouldn't know what democracy was if it scratched her in the eyeballs."

• Local elections 2019: Yorkshire

He added: "It's time them down in Westminster started to take a bit of notice to what people have said. It's their antics that have cost us tonight."

The Liberal Democrats took one of Labour's seats in Knottingley, with independent candidates Alex Kear and Ian Womersley beating the party in Airedale and Ferry Fryston and Hemsworth, respectively.

Labour did win some of their under-threat seats with comfort, but were clinging on in some marginal seats.

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