Brighton and Hove Labour appoint new deputy

Brighton and Hove Labour group have appointed Warren Morgan as the party’s deputy after the loss of Pat Hawkes in last week’s local election.

Pat Hawkes lost her seat in Hollingdean and Stanmer after the Green Party made gains in the ward.

At a party meeting this evening Cllr Morgan, who comfortably held on to his seat in East Brighton last week, was named as the replacement, while group leader Gill Mitchell was re-elected with the support of all present, according to Cllr Morgan.

Cllr Morgan, who is one of Labour’s most prominent councillors, wrote on Twitter following the meeting: “Proud to have been elected Deputy Leader of #Brighton and #Hove Labour & Co-operative Group tonight.”

He added that the Labour group in the city will now officially be known as the Labour and Co-operative Group.

Meanwhile, a newly formed blog has claimed experienced local politician Cllr Brian Fitch, who was elected in Hangleton and Knoll, called for a leadership challenge against Cllr Mitchell. Read the post here.

The Brighton Politics Blogger has also obtained emails sent between party members which criticise the party’s tactics in the local elections and particularly in Withdean where the councillors are said to have been told to give up on the ward.

In the aftermath of the local elections the Conservative Party appointed Geoffrey Theobald as their new leader at a meeting last night.

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• Labour are not looking for coalition with Greens
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Tags: Brian Fitch, Gill Mitchell, Local Elections 2011, Warren Morgan