'Progressive Lancashire' joins forces to oppose Reform UK

The Green Party and a group of independent councillors have joined forces to become the official opposition to Reform UK on Lancashire County Council.

The 11-strong alliance has branded itself “Progressive Lancashire” and will be the second-largest grouping after Reform, which took control of County Hall following this month’s local elections.

Made up of all seven independents and the four Greens who sit on the authority, the contingent will be led by former Labour group leader Azhar Ali – now an independent – with Green leader Gina Dowding as his deputy.

It means that the largest single opposition group on the county council – the Conservatives, who now have just eight members after having been in charge for the last eight years – will not be conferred with the official opposition status they would otherwise have secured.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands that there will be no whipping system within Progressive Lancashire – meaning the Greens and independents will be able to vote differently to each other.

In theory, that could lead to multiple stands of opinion emerging within the collective, as the Greens are not whipped even within their own group, while each independent is free to make their own decisions regardless of those reached by their fellow non-affiliated colleagues.

However, County Cllr Dowding says she believes that prospect is a remote one, because the councillors that have come together have so many “common values”.

The tie-up marks a return to the opposition leadership for County Cllr Ali – albeit now minus any political affiliation – after a hiatus of just over 12 months.

He led the Labour opposition group at County Hall from 2017 until February 2024, when he was suspended by the party as he contested the Rochdale parliamentary by-election after a recording emerged of widely-condemned remarks he made about Israel in relation to the Gaza conflict and also regarding Jewish members of the media.  He later resigned from Labour and became an independent in his Nelson East county council seat, to which he was re-elected earlier this month.

Asked by the LDRS how it felt to be back in his former role, County Cllr Ali said politics moves “in mysterious ways” – and stressed that the aim of Progressive Lancashire was to be “an effective and constructive opposition group”.

“Reform have been given a huge mandate by the people of Lancashire – and I think all opposition parties need to accept that that is the case. But now they have got to get on and deliver – and I’m mindful of the fact that the people who voted for me and all 84 county councillors want delivery.

“People want to see a difference – they don’t want to see politicians just squabbling all the time. I’m sure there will be squabbling and we’re going to hold Reform to account, but what we have promised them is that we want to work in partnership with them where we can – to deliver services differently, lobby government and bring investment, resources and jobs to the county.

The priorities are potholes, massive improvements to special educational needs services for children and also to make sure that we have enough school places, because there is a crisis in parts of the county…including Preston and East Lancashire,” said County Cllr Ali.

Meanwhile, County Cllr Dowding – who, like her fellow alliance leader, has sat at County Hall for 12 years – told the LDRS that Progressive Lancashire believed it could do “a better job than the Conservatives” as the main opposition.

“We felt as though we have got a lot of experience between us – and the willingness to really hold Reform to account.

“It wasn’t just about the numbers, it was about [the fact] we really strongly want to do this – not just to challenge Reform, but to make things better in terms of service delivery,” said County Cllr Dowding, who represents Lancaster Central.

She added that the alliance – which will now secure influential representation on the county council’s scrutiny committees – wants to spearhead a “culture change” at County Hall and echoed comments by County Cllr Ali that the group was open to working with other opposition parties to achieve common ends and even to formally welcome them into the progressive fold.

“We want the residents [put] first, not the group politics.  This isn’t the Houses of Parliament, it’s a council chamber – so it’s about delivering local services.

“Getting things done that improve the quality of life for people – that’s our focus.”

WHO’S WHO IN PROGRESSIVE LANCASHIRE?

The Green Party’s county councillors are drawn from the Lancaster and Hyndburn districts – with the group having doubled in size at the county elections – while the independents comprise a trio from Preston and two each from Burnley and Pendle.

Three of the independents – Yousuf Motala (Preston City), Usman Arif (Burnley North East) and Mohammed Iqbal (Brierfield and Nelson West) were re-elected this month having defected from Labour in 2023/24 over the party’s stance on the Gaza conflict.

Four of their number also have experience on district councils – including former Preston city councillor Michale Lavalette (Preston South East), who served at the town hall for a decade under several banners – including as an independent.

Independents
Azhar Ali – Nelson East (group leader)
Usman Arif – Burnley North East
Mohammed Iqbal – Brierfield & Nelson West
Maheen Kamran – Burnley Central East
Michael Lavalette – Preston Central East
Yousuf Motala – Preston City
Almas Razakazi – Preston South East

Green Party
Sohail Asghar – Accrington West & Oswaldtwistle Central
Gina Dowding – Lancaster Central (deputy group leader)
Hamish Mills – Lancaster South East
Paul Stubbins – Lancaster East