A Labour councillor has resigned from the party and claims he was told not to look into a complaint by people who he said did not even know what it was.
Cllr Karl Greaney, who now represents Leasowe and Moreton East on Wirral Council as an Independent, was the Labour group’s chief whip until around a fortnight ago when he left the party, saying Labour North West had questioned his integrity. A Labour Party spokesperson said they were disappointed with Cllr Greaney’s decision but wished him well for the future.
On his reasons for resigning, Cllr Greaney said: “I had a falling out with region [ Labour North West] and national office. I had a difference of opinion and was disciplined myself with no room to appeal, so I said i’ll show the best way of appealing and resigned.
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"In my role as chief whip I was investigating a complaint against one councillor by another in the group and then I was instructed by region to drop the complaint without them even knowing what it was. I said it was my role as chief whip to carry out an impartial investigation and they told me to drop it and then I went to national office and they told me the same.”
Cllr Greaney refused and said it was his role to investigate impartially and fairly. He added: “When I carried on investigating it they disciplined me.
“Then I dropped the investigation because there wasn’t anything to investigate and they still disciplined me for not doing as I was told.” The Leasowe and Moreton East councillor added he got a written warning from the party, which he felt questioned his integrity and made him feel his position was untenable.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that Cllr Greaney has taken the decision to resign from the Labour Party. We wish Cllr Greaney well for the future.”
It is understood the Labour Party feels it instructed Cllr Greaney to follow proper processes and procedures regarding a complaint, but he refused to follow these instructions and was issued with a written warning.
