Labour at war in Cardiff and Carmarthen

The Civil War among st Cardiff Labour continues with  council leader Phil Bale has failed in his bid to be re-selected for the leadership of the city’s ruling group.

Fresh questions have now surfaced about his future after two rounds of voting resulted in a tie at his Labour group’s annual ballot on Monday night. He faces a new vote next week.

Councillor Bale and deputy Sue Lent were challenged for their positions by Grangetown councillor Lynda Thorne and Trowbridge councillor Michael Michael.

It was only back in  March that Clllr Bale managed to ward of a no confidence  

During a closed meeting, the Councillors all made speeches and then took questions from the other group members before a vote was called

One Labour source said it was time Councillor Bale considered standing down.

“We are split. We have been split since the start of this term of office but it has always been a minority split. This time it is 50% of the group. It’s tragic.
“I think he would be very wise to stand down. If he loses next week it will be so humiliating for him, if he stood down there’s no humiliation.”

Wanna Bet.

The source added they worried about what effect the leadership contest was having on the group as a whole.

Another source said the continuing issues within the Labour group were personality-led and not an ideological split.

“Our group has been about personality since the beginning. Nothing has drastically changed in the last two years.

Cllr Bale was a largely Unknown at the time when i n  February  2012 Cardiff Council leader Heather Joyce stepped  down

As  Daily Wales  reported at the time

Politically, it was always clear she was a caretaker Leader who could not command her group. Heather was very badly treated by her own colleagues and constantly undermined. Last year’s challenge to her was bitter and the city suffered. The intrigue and personal agendas are ruining the biggest employer in Wales. It’s time for Labour to be honest and appoint the man who has called the shots for a long time, Russell Goodway. Everything will be out in the open then.”

 Meanwhile Labour has ousted another group leader 

  Kevin Madge  group labour leader on the troubled Council which runs  it with the independents  has been voted out of the role following a ballot by fellow Labour councillors.

Coun Madge will be succeeded by Jeff Edmunds as leader of the council’s Labour group, which rules in coalition with independent councillors.

The decision, made at the party’s AGM, comes more than year after he survived a no confidence vote by councillors.

That motion had been triggered by claims he had brought the council into disrepute by agreeing payments to chief executive Mark James that were later deemed “unlawful” by the Wales Audit Office.

As usual  Y Cneifwr has covered this coup in detail and much better that the Wasting Mule

What connection these coups have with Labour failure to win the marginal Cardiff  North and Carmarthen East and Dinefwr  we can only speculate.

But its beginning to look like Labour in Wales famous discipline on their councils were members voted blindly with the council leader is falling apart and we can only wonder if these civil wars in Cardiff , Carmerthem and previously in Swansea  who removed their ;leader last year are symptoms of a deeper malaise.