LABOUR SPLIT

[Northern Echo 27th March 2008]
LABOUR SPLIT
YOUR article (Echo, Mar 22) concerning the admissions criteria for Durham Johnston School, in Durham City, gave a flavour of the debate at County Hall two days earlier, but had one major deficiency. It failed to reveal that a one-party Labour council cabinet split in public with the deputy leader voting against the leader of the council.
I have been a councillor for almost 23 years and this is the first time ever that I have seen divisions in the ruling Labour group so graphically and publicly displayed. Yet no mention of this momentous event was in the article. If they were not already in such disarray, voting against the leader in public would surely lead to expulsion from the Labour group.
When that happens, perhaps it will be reported in your columns.
Councillor Nigel Martin, leader, Liberal Democrats, Durham County Council