Councillors Must Be Accountable to the Electorate, Not Political Enforcers Labour Are Planning to Introduce

The Labour Government is pushing forward with plans to introduce a new “standards framework” for councillors — a move that poses a serious threat to democratic accountability and free speech in local government.  

This proposal is nothing more than a revival of the discredited and wasteful system that was rightly abolished after years of politically motivated cases targeting opposition councillors used to silence many who stood in opposition or questioned the ruling groups of councils across the country.

A History of Abuse and Political Targeting

The previous Standards Board became notorious for being weaponised against councillors who dared to challenge authority, expose corruption, or raise legitimate concerns on behalf of residents. Cases were frequently launched on the flimsy and subjective grounds of “not showing respect,” often as a tool to silence dissenting voices. Instead of upholding integrity in politics, the board became a mechanism for punishing those who stood up for their communities against the abuse of power.

Even under the current localised Code of Conduct system, there have been repeated instances of weaponisation—used internally and externally—to suppress opposition and criticism. I have personally experienced how this system has been misused, with Labour and Liberal Democrat members attempting to use it to silence me for holding them to account.

Elected representatives are accountable to the people who put them in office—not to a politically motivated standards regime. The only legitimate authority that should have the power to remove or sanction a councillor is the electorate through democratic processes, such as elections and a properly defined right to recall. If an elected official has genuinely breached the Nolan Principles—standards that all public officials must uphold—then it should be the voters, not unelected bureaucrats, who have the final say.

Labour’s plan is a direct attack on democracy and mirrors the tactics used by authoritarian regimes like China and Russia to suppress opposition voices. In a true democracy, political power belongs to the people, not to a centrally controlled body designed to silence those who challenge the ruling elites.

This proposal is an affront to the fundamental principles of democratic accountability and free speech. Every citizen, regardless of political affiliation, should oppose any move that gives a select group the power to remove elected representatives without the direct involvement of the electorate.

We must stand up against Labour’s attempts to bring back this draconian system and demand that councillors remain answerable only to those who elected them. The power to hold politicians to account must always rest with the people—not with a politically controlled regulatory body.

Now is the time to speak out. Please complete the consultation currently underway by government and ensure that our democracy is protected from this dangerous encroachment on free democratic representation.

The constitution is open until 11:59pm on the 26th February 2025.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-the-standards-and-conduct-framework-for-local-authorities-in-england/strengthening-the-standards-and-conduct-framework-for-local-authorities-in-england