Labour councillors in Lichfield and Burntwood have hit back at claims their party is in “internal disarray”.
The comments were made by Lichfield Conservative councillor Jon O’Hagan after he suggested rival Colin Ball was not being guided well enough by the Labour group on Lichfield District Council.
Cllr O’Hagan said attacks on the Tory group were merely an attempt at distraction by the Labour group.
“Cllr Ball’s enthusiasm is great, but needs to be slightly curbed,” said Cllr O’Hagan. “I would have thought that his group leader would have guided him better.
“I understand that Lichfield’s Labour group is in internal disarray, between power struggles, and infighting, but their policy of distract by attack is as pathetic, as it is transparent.”
Cllr Di Evans, deputy leader of the Labour opposition group, hit back at Cllr O’Hagan’s claims as “ridiculous”.
She said: “I am totally dumbfounded that Cllr O’Hagan has the temerity to imply the Labour Group is in disarray, when nothing is further from the truth.
“We are totally united in our views to get the best possible outcomes for the whole of Lichfield district tax payers.
“It is fairly obvious that we do our homework and prepare carefully for meetings, presenting a cohesive argument where necessary, unlike the majority of the Conservatives who do nothing more than sit on their hands and provide very little or no input into any debate.
“Whatever or whoever gave Cllr O’Hagan the impression that we are at loggerheads is a ridiculous, totally incorrect assumption.
“Maybe he needs to look inward to his own group and see where the problems lie.”
Cllr Ball also rejected any claims that infighting had been going on within the Labour party locally.
“There is absolutely no internal disarray, power struggles or infighting in Lichfield District Council’s Labour Group,” he said.
“We are a happy and united, if small, team, who will keep on punching well our weight and holding the Tories to account.”
