The leader of Northampton Borough Council is facing a challenge for his county council seat from the man who he replaced in acrimonious circumstances 16 months ago.
The Northampton Labour group has announced that Councillor David Palethorpe, who defected to the party in December 2011, will be standing against Councillor David Mackintosh, (Con, Rectory Farm) for the county council seat of Billing and Rectory Farm.
Councillor Palethorpe dramatically announced his resignation as leader of Northampton Borough Council on Twitter in October 2011, after less than six months in the job, after stating there had been “disloyalty and self interest from members of his party”.
Councillor Palethorpe also sent a 990 word letter to both the Chron and Conservative councillors claiming a “gang of six” from within his own party had forced him out.
But Councillor Palethorpe has said he has chosen to stand for the county council seat because it was an area that he had worked in for the past 10 years not because it was against the borough council leader.
He said: “There is nothing personal about this. The Ecton Brook, Bellinge and Billing area is where I have represented on the borough council for the past 10 years.
“I also know a lot of people in the Rectory Farm area and a lot of them feel abandoned. I feel my record as a borough councillor stands for itself and it will be up to the electorate to decide who is best for the job.”
The Northamptonshire County Council election is due to be held in May this year.
Councillor Mackintosh said: “My view is that I’ve worked hard for the area and I’ve managed to achieve a lot of things for the town. I feel my record speaks for itself.”
Other Labour county council candidates announced on Twitter yesterday included former town mayor Arthur McCutcheon, who will stand for the Headlands seat.
Mr McCutcheon, who was first elected to Northampton Borough Council in 1983, was made an honorary aldermen last year in recognition of his years of service to the town.
Other Labour candidates that were announced included Dr Viv Dams who will stand for the Sixfields seat and local party activist Zoe Smith who will stand in Kingsthorpe.
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