After a turbulent year and a bruising few weeks for Labour following local elections, Filton and Bradley Stoke MP Claire Hazelgrove (pictured) says MPs should not be “seeking to bring about chaos and change at this time”.
Nationally, Labour is undergoing mounting pressure, with senior figures stepping down and internal debates over the party’s direction.
Many MPs have called for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to resign, but with no active timetable or vacancy as of yet, Ms Hazelgrove states that she will be “carrying on as is…delivering for local people”.
Since the local elections, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has been confirmed as a candidate for the Makerfield by-election, giving him a second chance to become an MP.
His potential return has sparked speculation on his future influence over the party and whether he could mount a leadership challenge against Sir Keir.
Ms Hazelgrove said: “I and everybody across our Labour movement will be supporting [Burnham] as our Labour candidate in Makerfield because I want Labour to win whenever Labour is on the ballot.”
Speaking about the significant number of council seats lost across the country on May 7, Ms Hazelgrove said: “There’s no sugar coating it, that was a bad result
elsewhere in the country.”
However, the situation in Filton was different. The Conygre by-election welcomed two new Labour councillors Andy Mills and Mac Elmorssy, in a direct contest with Reform, following the resignation of a Conservative and Green councillor.
Conygre by-election results
Ms Hazelgrove said: “It felt important to show loudly and proudly who we are as a community, and that we reject division and want unity. I think if you choose the path of division and populism, you’ve given up and I don’t want that for anybody.”
Both Labour candidates secured strong majorities against their Reform counterparts. Ms Hazelgrove attributes the success to “brilliant local candidates, hard work, and not taking any votes or support for granted.”
Next year, South Gloucestershire Council will hold its full council elections. Hopeful for a Labour majority, Ms Hazelgrove said: “Genuinely, I’d be really keen to hear from anybody who is reading this, if they would be interested in standing to represent their community.”
Ms Hazelgrove also contrasted Labour’s approach to “a fragmented political picture” within Reform. She warned that such instability may “set our community back”.
Ms Hazelgrove said: “I want us to have the very best that we can have in our community and that’s what I work to try and do every day. Our community deserves the very best, and so that’s the conversation that we’ll be having next year.”