Two Labour councillors in Stockport have quit the party and shared an explosive statement – accusing Keir Starmer's leadership of 'sleepwalking the country towards a majority Reform government'.

Joe Barratt was serving as deputy leader of Stockport Labour but announced his decision to leave the party along with his mum, Rosemary Barratt, with the pair becoming 'increasingly disillusioned' with how the party is led nationally.

Joe said he has been a member of the Labour Party for more than 15 years but was left with no choice but to leave due to the 'failure of Keir Starmer and the current Labour leadership to offer either the vision or conviction for change our country so desperately needs.'

The two councillors have formed a new group called the Bredbury and Woodley Independents, and could find a candidate to challenge the Lib Dems and Labour for the third council seat in the ward which is up for election in May 2026.

Stockport town hall, seen from Wellington Road South (Image - Nub News)

Cllr Joe Barratt said: "Under Keir Starmer's leadership, Labour has squandered the huge majority it was handed by the country just over a year ago.

"It has become a party of middle-managers that have u-turned from one ill-judged policy to another, and is now sleepwalking the country towards a majority Reform government unless it significantly changes course."

He added: "Most importantly, I do not believe that the current leadership fully grasps the scale of change needed to reverse the decline of our country – what Andy Burnham has rightly described as the "complete rewiring of Britain."

"Labour should be looking to figures like him, who have delivered tangible change at local and regional level, if it is to restore the trust and faith in the party, and in politics, that has been so badly lost at a national level."

Cllr Barratt thanked his former Labour colleagues in Stockport, saying he has 'huge respect and gratitude' for them, but 'cannot, in all good conscience, continue to serve in a senior local leadership role in a party that is failing in its historic duty to provide hope and direction for our country.'

The resignations mark a blow for the local Labour group, which is the biggest opposition party in the council chamber with 19 councillors, less than the 30 Lib Dems who are running the town hall under Cllr Mark Roberts.

Stockport Labour are now in the process of choosing a new deputy to serve with its leader, Cllr Christine Carrigan.

Stockport town hall's council chamber as seen in May 2025 (Image - Nub News)

Cllr Carrigan, said: "This government is putting Labour values into action by delivering record funding for the NHS, the largest ever increase to the minimum wage and a massive uplift in school budgets.

"It's disappointing that councillors Joe and Rosemary Barratt will no longer be part of delivering this change. That said, I would like to thank them for their work with the group.

"This Labour group remains focused and committed to serving Stockport's residents and ensuring we hold the Liberal Democrats to account, with fairness, equity, honesty and integrity at the heart of everything we do."

Elsewhere in Stockport, a group of independents in the Stockport Community Group have announced plans for a major expansion, which could threaten Labour, Lib Dem, and Green Party seats.

It could leave the council, which is under no overall control, increasingly fragmented come the May 2026 local elections.

There are 63 council seats in Stockport in total, and the political make-up currently looks like this:

• Lib Dems – 30
• Labour (including Labour and Co-operative) – 19
• Stockport Community Group – 5
• Green Party – 3
• Independent Ratepayers – 3
• Bredbury and Woodley Independents – 2
• Conservatives – 1

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