Ex-council leader responds to catastrophic defeat by Reform UK

The former leader of Kirklees Council has broken her silence after receiving just over 500 votes at the local election.

Councillor Cathy Scott said she was “disappointed” her 18-year tenure came to an end, despite previously serving as a Labour councillor and the Leader of Kirklees Council after being elected in September 2023.

Running as a candidate for Community Alliance Kirklees, Scott was thrashed at the polls, receiving just, 574 votes – coming tenth out of the 19 candidates and placing more than 1500 votes behind the highest ranking candidate.

Despite being ousted by three Reform UK candidates, Scott assured that she was “ extremely proud” of what Community Alliance achieved “in a very short space of time.”

Scott said: “Community Alliance was built around putting residents and communities first. We were never about party politics. We were local people standing up for local people and challenging decisions where we believed communities were being overlooked…Community Alliance was built around putting residents and communities first. We were never about party politics. We were local people standing up for local people and challenging decisions where we believed communities were being overlooked.”

Reflecting on the results, Scott said they reflect a “wider feeling” that people across Kirklees hope for change. Scott said: “Residents want stronger representation, fairness, accountability, and to see investment and services reaching all areas equally.”

Speaking on returning to council, Scott pledged that Community Alliance is “absoloutley continuing”. Scott said: “We will still be supporting residents, campaigning on local issues, and standing candidates going forward. One election result does not end the work we do within our communities.

“I remain incredibly proud of everyone involved with Community Alliance and thankful to every resident who supported us and believed in what we were trying to achieve.”

Scott is most widely known for her chaotic split from the Kirklees Council Labour party, with her resignation triggering a two-month stand-off, where she governed as an Independent Leader without a majority.

Scott later formed the ‘Community Alliance’ party with other independent councillors (many of whom had also left Labour), with the hopes she could cling to leadership, but this eventually ended in July 2024 when she was removed via a formal vote of no confidence.