Newcastle Council leader Nick Forbes confirms exit after seat deselection

Nick Forbes will leave his role as Newcastle City Council leader in May

Newcastle City Council boss Nick Forbes has confirmed his departure after being deselected from his seat.

Mr Forbes, who has served as leader since 2011, was dealt a major blow when he was deselected by the Labour party in Arthur's Hill.

He said he did not want to be parachuted into another ward so will step down in May's local elections.

The 48-year-old lost Labour's candidature for the seat to local activist Abdul Samad on 8 February.

Mr Forbes said withdrawing from May's elections was the "one honourable choice available to me", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'Heavy heart'

He said representing another ward would feel like a "betrayal of the communities I have served" during his 22 years as a councillor and that he was "not prepared to ask for the Labour Party rule book to be exploited in my favour", either by seeking election elsewhere or trying to overturn his deselection.

He will remain as Newcastle City Council leader, as well as vice-chair of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority and senior vice-chair of the Local Government Association, until his term in office ends.

He has asked for a new Labour group leader to be elected in the city before May, in order to give "clarity" to voters about the party's direction.

Mr Forbes, who was Newcastle's first openly gay council leader, said: "Exiting Newcastle politics like this brings me mixed emotions and a heavy heart. 

"I am disappointed that I will no longer be a voice for Newcastle at regional and national levels, or be able to represent the city directly to government, but I am immensely proud of having been the first LGBT leader of this council - and its second longest serving leader. 

"Above all, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have served my city, the wider local government family and the Labour Party. This I have done to the best of my abilities."