A Birmingham city councillor, heavily criticised for his prolonged absence from official duties, has formally resigned from his position.
Resignation after mounting pressure
Jack Deakin, the Labour representative for the Allens Cross ward in Northfield, has stepped down. Council leader John Cotton confirmed he had received and accepted Mr Deakin's resignation, thanking him for his service.
The resignation follows intense scrutiny over the councillor's record of poor attendance at council meetings. It brings to an end a controversial tenure marked by extended periods away from his official duties.
A record of minimal attendance
Mr Deakin's attendance had become a significant point of contention. He attended only two full council meetings over a two-year period. On a third occasion, he was recorded as having 'signed in' for a meeting but never actually entered the council chamber.
When questioned previously about his absences, the councillor cited periods of ill health and a stated loss of faith in local politics. He had also faced a suspension from his role for nine months in 2024 relating to a harassment complaint, but was later exonerated.
Political manoeuvring and delayed departure
Sources suggest Mr Deakin had wanted to resign earlier but was allegedly persuaded by Labour MPs and officials to remain in post. The reported reason for this pressure was a fear that triggering a by-election would give the rival Reform party a chance to win the seat.
By resigning now, Mr Deakin has ensured the legal deadline for calling a by-election has passed. This means the Allens Cross seat will remain vacant, with no local representative for residents, until the next scheduled local elections in May.
Opposition condemns 'outrageous' situation
The Conservative opposition leader on Birmingham City Council, Robert Alden, strongly criticised the sequence of events. He described it as "outrageous" that the public had effectively paid for a missing councillor for two years.
Mr Alden argued that by allegedly delaying the resignation, the Labour Party had ensured local residents would have "no representative at the council for the next six months".
The situation leaves the Allens Cross ward without a voice in the council chamber until voters go to the polls in the spring.
