Morley South by-election: Meet the candidates hoping to fill Leeds City Council seat after resignation

The by-election follows the resignation of long-serving councillor and former town mayor Wyn Kidger, who stepped down after eight years of service.

With her departure leaving a vacancy on the city council, these six candidates are now vying for votes.

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We invited the candidates to tell us about their backgrounds and priorities in the Morley South ward. Here’s what they said, with candidates listed in the order they appear on the Leeds City Council website -

Chris Bell, Green Party

Originally from Headingley, pharmacy worker Chris Bell moved to Morley 17 years ago - and has stood as a candidate in previous elections.

He said: “I believe passionately in community activism and representing local concerns.

“One of the most controversial things in the last five years have been the business development plans at Capitol Park. There was severe opposition to the Amazon-style warehouses, which were pushed through by Labour councillors, with more than 300 complaints from residents at the plans panel. I represented residents twice at the meetings to raise objections.”

He continued: “My general priorities would be to work with fellow green councillors to make budget amendments, helping people with the cost-of-living crisis and anything we can do around heating and energy costs. I also want to push for transparency around the £24 million Town Deal funding that was granted during the Johnson administration.”

Michael Fox, Liberal Democrats

Michael Fox lives in Morley and works as a project manager in the construction industry. He was previously a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy and served in vessels stationed in the Middle East.

He said: “As a local resident, I am standing to provide a real alternative for Morley. The Conservatives let us down in government for years and the Labour-run Leeds City Council is charging more and more in council tax, but just isn't delivering. Now we also have the threat of Reform and their divisive politics. Reform make big promises but have no record of delivery. I would be a local champion for the community and be the real change that Morley needs.

“I am committed to working for Morley and dealing with the issues that matter to people here. Residents have been telling me they want action to fix pot holes, improve bus services and make our streets clean and tidy again. Working with Liberal Democrat colleagues on the council I would push for additional PCSOs to help deal with crime and anti-social behaviour around Queen Street.”

Terry Grayshon, Morley Borough Independents

Terry Grayshon, a pensions technician who is a current town councillor and has served as a city councillor previously, was the Mayor of Morley in 2008 and 2009. Active in the community, he has organised Remembrance Sunday commemorations and is the trustee of a charity that provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

He said: “I want to work with community groups to ensure that Morley remains a vibrant community. One of the key issues in Morley South is down the Dewsbury Road corridor, where a potential 3,500 houses could be built. That is a positive thing, but the affordability of those homes is a concern for people.

“The lack of infrastructure around Morley South to support that development also remains a concern - with doctors and schools oversubscribed. Another priority of mine would be to ensure that the town centre remains vibrant following the pandemic. It is great to see streets like Queen Street thriving.

“I want to liaise with community groups and work with the community to have a dialogue, listen and understand.”

Charlotte Hill, Labour and Co-operative Party

Charlotte Hill, who grew up and went to school in Morley, said that she is “proud to call this town my home”. She continued: “As one of your Morley Town councillors, I have worked hard to make our streets safer, get potholes fixed and provide funding for local community groups and businesses.

“I want to use my experience to fight for a better deal for our community. Working with Mark Sewards MP, I have helped keep our Post Office under a new franchising agreement and secured a new Banking Hub for Morley town centre.”

She said that the key issues facing the ward included reviving Morley town centre by filling vacant premises with local independent shops to increase footfall; and supporting the development of the Beryl Burton Greenway to provide “a safe walking and cycling route for commuters, shoppers, and students”.

She also cited crime and anti-social behaviour as a concern, saying that she would support plans to have a “named police officer in the neighbourhood” and use new orders to ban persistent repeat offenders from the town. She added that she wants to get “the best deal for our transit system” by working with the West Yorkshire Mayor.

Liam Roberts, Conservative Party Candidate

In a statement, Conservative candidate Liam Roberts said: “I’m excited to be standing in this by-election. My Grandma is particularly proud she has the chance to vote for me too. My first job was helping local residents in need, right here in this community, and I want to continue that work.

“Voters have made it clear to me they desperately want a local champion. Morley's new Labour MP has backed his shameless government's new cuts and taxes that nobody voted for.

“Labour's National Insurance rise is costing local people's jobs and hitting businesses from the town centre to Tingley. If elected, I will not be afraid to speak out in their best interests, and fight to ensure the currently Labour-held council puts the public before its own political agenda.”

Ryan Taylor, Reform UK

After growing up in Bramley, former professional rugby player and Reform UK candidate Ryan Taylor moved to Morley 14 years ago. He later joined the military as a Royal Engineer, completing a tour of Iraq and two tours of Afghanistan. It was during this time when resources were provided during combat that he said he understood the different politics could deliver.

Leaving the army in 2015, he campaigned for the Conservatives in 2017 and 2019, before stepping away. He said he found his “political home” as Reform UK surged in popularity, and is now the vice chair of the constituency party.

He said: “I wanted to stand because I see the politics here as very stagnant. There has to be some kind of opposition.

“One of the key issues is potholes. We’ve been promised that they would be fixed, but the roads are getting resurfaced without potholes being filled in. Transport is another big one - getting in and out of Leeds is tricky, and housing developments are only making roads busier.

“Antisocial behaviour is another issue I want to tackle. The police presence seems to have gone over the last 24 months, and I would work with West Yorkshire Police to see what we can do to resolve this problem.”