'Labour is on the side of working people' - Dudley MP defends Keir Starmer after councillors quit
A Dudley MP insists Labour is on the side of working people despite blistering attacks from former party members.
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Sonia Kumar was answering comments from ex-Labour members of Dudley Council who quit to form a new independent group on the authority.
Cllr Pete Lowe left Labour after more than four decades on March 13 saying he was wrong to believe the party was on the side of working people and those depending on the system to survive.
Sonia Kumar said: “Labour is on the side of working people, there is so much brilliant work.
“Workers’ rights is an historic moment for us, to have a minimum wage increase, banning fire and rehire, banning zero hours contracts.
“I am so proud to be a Labour MP at the moment.”
The MP, who was elected in 2024 with a majority of 1,900, defended Sir Keir Starmer’s government saying they inherited a financial black hole and had to make difficult decisions to balance the books.
The government has faced criticism for changes to pensioners’ winter fuel payments, increasing employers’ National Insurance contributions and most recently proposals to reform disability benefits.
Cllr Karl Denning, who worked on Ms Kumar’s election campaign, quit Labour on March 19 saying he was fighting the Labour government for a fair deal fo disabled people.
Ms Kumar said: “There is a consultation period running right now, there is nothing stuck in stone, I am very happy to listen to as many people as possible.
“We should not be re-examining someone who is severely disabled – it’s not going to change, I welcome those sorts of changes.
“I welcome that we are saying we want more people in work and there will be more flexibility for people with fluctuating conditions. This policy should be ‘how can we enable people to fulfil all aspects of their life including work’.”
Cllr’s Lowe and Denning, along with fellow former Labour Cllr’s Peter Drake, Karen Westwood and Matt Cook, and Cllr Steve Edwards, who was thrown out of the party for criticising government policy, have now formed the Dudley Independent Group on the council.
Ms Kumar said: “We are all working together to deliver for residents in Dudley no matter what badge you hold.
“They might have different policy ideas but you have got to take ownership of what we have right now.
“It is easy to sit on opposition benches and say ‘you are doing things wrong’ but when you sit in my seat you have to make difficult decisions and vote for certain things.
“We are a responsible government, we haven’t had a responsible government in years.”
Despite the loss of councillors from the Dudley Labour group, Ms Kumar believes the party can bounce back.
She said: “It is always unfortunate when we lose Labour councillors, it’s never easy to digest but people make decisions for themselves – what they feel is right for them.
“Whether I agree or disagree is a different situation but we have elections coming up next year and we will come back fighting.”
