Position of Wakefield councillor Nic Stansby as Conservative group leader in doubt amid reports of deselection

Coun Nic Stansby was due to stand again as the Tory candidate for Wrenthorpe and Outwood this May, having represented the ward on Wakefield Council for the previous four years.

Multiple sources told the Local Democracy Reporting Service last week that Coun Stansby had been ousted by her own party branch in favour of another candidate and that she had appealed the decision.

But on Monday, Coun Stansby herself said she believed this was not the case.

The Morley and Outwood Conservative branch has been contacted and asked for comment to clarify the situation, but it has not responded.

“I’ve not been formally notified of any other candidate,” Coun Stansby said.

“As far as I’m aware, no official decision has been made for the Wrenthorpe and Outwood West candidacy.

“An announcement would have been made if it had.”

A spokesman for the Conservative group, which holds 17 of the council’s 63 seats, has also not responded to requests for comment.

If Coun Stansby is deselected it would effectively force an end to her leadership of the local Tories, which she assumed last August after her predecessor Nadeem Ahmed was ousted in a coup.

The party was similarly quiet on that occasion, with no-one officially confirming news of Coun Ahmed’s toppling until nearly three weeks after it happened.

The uncertainty caps off a troubled period for the local Tories, who have been beset by internal squabbles in recent weeks.

Two councillors voted against their own party’s alternative budget proposals last Wednesday, after a huge backlash against the suggestion that some streetlights in Wakefield be turned off after midnight to save money.

A source later said there were “massive” divisions in the party, described the situation as a “diabolical shambles” and said that some councillors were “being heard more than others.”

Support the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United. With a digital subscription, you see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.