The Prime Minister may be fighting to hang on to his job but, in Brighton and Hove, his party has kept faith with council leader Bella Sankey.
Councillor Sankey was re-elected unopposed as the leader of the Labour group last night (Monday 12 May) for the fourth year running.
As a result, she is expected to be confirmed as leader of Brighton and Hove City Council at the annual meeting on Thursday 21 May.
She is on course to become the longest-serving leader of the council for 20 years – since 2006, when former Labour councillor Ken Bodfish stepped down after five years at the helm.
And she will be the second-longest serving leader since the creation of the council that serves Brighton and Hove in 1997.
Councillor Sankey first became the leader of the council after Labour won a majority at the local elections in May 2023.
The Labour group has re-elected Councillor Jacob Taylor as deputy leader and finance lead while Councillor Tim Rowkins has been re-elected as the other deputy leader.
The party said: “The re-election of all three senior figures reflects continued confidence in the leadership team as Brighton and Hove Labour Party prepares for another year of delivering for residents.
“Since taking majority control of the council in 2023, Brighton and Hove Labour has prioritised cleaning up the city and restoring civic pride while implementing Labour’s values by escalating council and affordable house building and buy-backs, improving renters’ rights, rolling out clean energy, increasing fairness and school inclusion, focusing on community safety and expanding recycling and delivering food waste.
“The Labour group has also started reshaping the infrastructure of the city, with the delivery of Hove Beach Park, new outdoor gyms, starting the restoration of Madeira Terrace and the development of high-quality active travel and place-making regeneration.”
Councillor Sankey said: “I’m a local girl and it remains the honour of my life to lead my home city. I’m grateful to the Labour group for putting their trust in me again.
“Brighton and Hove is a special place and I am proud of how much we’ve achieved in the past three years.
“The Labour Party exists to make life better for working people and those who cannot work due to ill health or disability – and so we want to go further and faster.
“We are lifting thousands of people out of poverty across the city but too many are still struggling with the cost of living, too many families are still stuck in temporary accommodation and too many residents still feel the effects of over a decade of Tory underinvestment in public services.
“That is what drives me every day. We were elected to bring good governance, ambition and fairness back to the council and that work continues.
“Over the next year, we will keep focusing on the things that matter most to residents: more homes, cleaner streets, safer communities and better public services. And we will keep standing up for Brighton and Hove’s values – of fairness, dignity and equality.”
Councillor Taylor said: “I’m pleased to have been re-elected unopposed and to continue working alongside Bella and Tim as part of a strong and united leadership team.
“Local government finances remain incredibly difficult across the country but Brighton and Hove has a Labour administration that is making responsible decisions while still investing in the city’s future.
“Our focus is clear: protect vital services, tackle the housing crisis, get the best value for residents and make sure the council is on a stable financial footing for the years ahead.”
Councillor Rowkins, who is expected to continue to oversee the rubbish, recycling and street cleaning service and the council’s push towards “net zero”, said: “I’m delighted to continue as deputy leader and grateful for the confidence of our colleagues.
“This city deserves leadership that is practical, ambitious and rooted in residents’ values and everyday lives. Whether it’s improving basic services, delivering on our climate ambitions or making our communities safer and fairer, we have a serious job to do.
“The work is far from finished but this is a Labour group that knows what needs to be done and is determined to get on with delivering for Brighton and Hove.”
The Labour group’s leadership election comes as the local authority prepares for the new municipal year, with formal council appointments due to be ratified at the annual council meeting next week.
She is still the leader as no one else wants to do it.