Media Release from City of York Council Labour Group
Alexander announced as Labour leader
10 May 2010
The council's Labour Group has elected Coun. James Alexander its new leader, at its annual general meeting.
Coun. Alexander has been a Labour councillor for Holgate since being elected in 2007, since which time he has fulfilled a number of roles for his party. Acomb ward councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing was elected deputy leader. Coun. Alexander said:
"The decision to stand for the leadership was difficult but I believe it was the right decision to make. It was especially difficult as I have a great deal of respect for David Scott and the job that he has done, but these things happen in politics and I'm confident the Group can move on in a positive way.
"My focus for so long has been on the general election and until the results came in, this was my priority. Now my priority is Labour showing a difference in York. Everyone is different in how they see the challenges and direction they would take their Group, and I am no different in this respect. I have some fundamentally different ideas about how I see the Group moving forward over the next few years, and I'm pleased I gained the support of colleagues in implementing those ideas.
"My focus is to defeat the Liberal Democrats in the 2011 local elections, who have been running the council for 7 years, to ensure that a Labour administration can make a positive difference to York people's lives.
"The next 12 months will present some tough challenges for us which we will meet head on, as we fight to gain control of this council. The electorate's verdict on Liberal Democrat control of the council was damning in 2007, and now at the recent general election voters in both York constituencies rejected the Liberal Democrat Party. The job of local Labour is both to highlight their continued failings, but more importantly to show York residents what Labour would do differently.
"That is something we are excited about and look forward to in the coming year. In that time I will be meeting with the business community, local community groups, public sector and voluntary sector representatives, and York residents to listen to them and tell them how local Labour would lead the council differently.
"I look forward to working with Tracey as deputy leader and know that we will work well together. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from over eleven years on the council, both in control and in opposition, which will be invaluable in supporting me".
Coun. Simpson-Laing said:
"I am extremely honoured to be elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Group in the city in which I was born and grew up. I look forward to working with James and the Labour Group to rid the city of this Lib Dem administration which has made so many major mistakes with public money since 2003".
Coun. Alexander has been a Labour councillor for Holgate since being elected in 2007, since which time he has fulfilled a number of roles for his party. Acomb ward councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing was elected deputy leader. Coun. Alexander said:
"The decision to stand for the leadership was difficult but I believe it was the right decision to make. It was especially difficult as I have a great deal of respect for David Scott and the job that he has done, but these things happen in politics and I'm confident the Group can move on in a positive way.
"My focus for so long has been on the general election and until the results came in, this was my priority. Now my priority is Labour showing a difference in York. Everyone is different in how they see the challenges and direction they would take their Group, and I am no different in this respect. I have some fundamentally different ideas about how I see the Group moving forward over the next few years, and I'm pleased I gained the support of colleagues in implementing those ideas.
"My focus is to defeat the Liberal Democrats in the 2011 local elections, who have been running the council for 7 years, to ensure that a Labour administration can make a positive difference to York people's lives.
"The next 12 months will present some tough challenges for us which we will meet head on, as we fight to gain control of this council. The electorate's verdict on Liberal Democrat control of the council was damning in 2007, and now at the recent general election voters in both York constituencies rejected the Liberal Democrat Party. The job of local Labour is both to highlight their continued failings, but more importantly to show York residents what Labour would do differently.
"That is something we are excited about and look forward to in the coming year. In that time I will be meeting with the business community, local community groups, public sector and voluntary sector representatives, and York residents to listen to them and tell them how local Labour would lead the council differently.
"I look forward to working with Tracey as deputy leader and know that we will work well together. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from over eleven years on the council, both in control and in opposition, which will be invaluable in supporting me".
Coun. Simpson-Laing said:
"I am extremely honoured to be elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Group in the city in which I was born and grew up. I look forward to working with James and the Labour Group to rid the city of this Lib Dem administration which has made so many major mistakes with public money since 2003".
Links: James Alexander, Tracey Simpson-Laing