Unitary opposition leader stands down

The Labour group will choose a new leader at its upcoming AGM

By Natalie Bloomer

The West Northamptonshire Labour group is set to choose a new leader at its upcoming Annual General Meeting in May, NN Journal can reveal.

Current leader Gareth Eales stepped back last autumn due to personal reasons, with his deputy Emma Roberts taking the lead in his absence. This was thought to be a temporary situation but he has since notified West Northamptonshire Council of his formal resignation.

Up until Tuesday afternoon when NN Journal made further enquiries about the situation, Cllr Eales was still listed as leader of the opposition group on the authority’s website. Since then it has been changed and Cllr Roberts’ page shows her as ‘acting leader’.

Cllr Eales has long been a large figure on Northamptonshire’s political landscape both as a councillor at the former borough and county councils and as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Northampton South at the 2019 election which he lost to his Conservative opponent Andrew Lewer. He also served as mayor of North…