THE leader of Brighton and Hove City Council has announced he will step down later this month – just three days after winning the local elections.

Labour’s Daniel Yates was re-elected to the council on Friday as his party narrowly secured the most seats.
But yesterday he confirmed he would not run for the leadership after the party’s annual meeting next week.

He said he was tired and that his physical and mental health would not survive another year of “constant pressure” and 18-hour days.

Shortly after the decision was made public, Nancy Platts put herself forward for the leadership.

She said: “I am proud of our manifesto and the change I believe it can deliver for our city.”

Councillor Yates will remain leader until May 22.

In an email to colleagues, he said: “Sorry for the length of this but just a note to thanks everyone for all of their hard work over the last while and wishing all of you (councillors old and new) every success in the future.

“I have been proud to have worked alongside you to bring us to this place.

“I was always proud to be part of the Labour Party and can remember how I told all my friends when I first joined in 1995.

“Even though I was joining as I was concerned over the potential direction that Tony Blair would eventually lead us in!

“Through the dark days of Iraq where I saw so many good friends and comrades walk away I continued to be proud to be a member of a party with such a long tradition and such strong values and principles.

“You all know that Jeremy wasn’t my first choice in either leadership election.

"Not because of the policies – far from it.

“But because I wasn’t sure that his leadership would be in the best interests of our long Labour tradition (the same reason I had concerns over Blair).

“But this is only part of the reason that I’m announcing today that I won’t be putting myself forward as Leader after the AGM.

“I’m tired, really tired and my physical and mental health won’t survive another twelve months of 17-18 hour days, constant pressures and high expectations.

“I’m also tired of having to be seen as the local face of a party which is increasingly risking its reputation values and traditions over anti-Semitism and Brexit.

“Frankly I feel in as much of a quandary now as I did during the height of the anti-Iraq war protests.

“Lastly though I also have other things happening that will also keep me pretty busy – I’m getting married in ten days’ time so I also need to give some focus and positivity to that.

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“Please don’t feel that I’m angry or responding to current events.

“This has been on the cards for some months (I warned some people before Christmas) and rest assured that I am so incredibly proud of the manifesto Labour has just won the city on.

“Our values principles and policies are entirely right for the city.

“I will be proud to support a new leadership to get them delivered and I will continue to be a proud Labour and Co-operative councillor for Moulsecoomb and Bevendean – a community that has been so kind and welcoming to me when kindness hasn’t always been evident everywhere.

“Thanks for all of your support – its means a lot and I’ll try to return it.”