Former leader emerges as favourite for top job

HELEN Holland is emerging as the favourite to become leader of the city council's Labour group following the resignation earlier this week of Peter Hammond.

Ms Holland is the obvious choice, given her experience as former council leader and the respect she commands among Labour colleagues.

But at least two other councillors are expected to put their hat into the ring – acting leader Ron Stone and Derek Pickup.

Mr Stone, ward councillor for St George West, became deputy when Mr Hammond won the leadership in May last year.

He is acting as leader until a new one is elected at a private meeting of the group which will probably be held before Christmas, although one councillor has suggested it should be delayed until the new year.

Mr Pickup, who represents Hartcliffe, is a former cabinet minister who was in charge of the council's education department and is understood to be keen to take on more responsibility.

Mark Bradshaw (Bedminster) would be another credible candidate but is unlikely to contest the leadership following an instruction from the party that Labour councillors cannot serve on George Ferguson's cabinet.

Mr Bradshaw, former cabinet councillor and deputy leader of the group, had been lined up to take on the transport brief in the new mayor's administration.

Mr Hammond resigned on Monday after supporting Labour councillors serving on the cabinet but was overruled by the party's National Executive Committee.

But it is understood that many party members are upset with Mr Hammond for announcing on local radio last week that councillors would serve without first seeking NEC approval.

He also said that Ms Holland would be deputy mayor before she had been offered the post.

Ms Holland responded by writing to Mr Ferguson to tell him she would not take up the position for personal reasons.

The Post tried to contact Ms Holland but she was unavailable for comment.

The internal party row over serving on the cabinet has created turmoil within the ranks.

Bristol vicar Alister Palmer yesterday condemned the party for failing to accept Mr Ferguson's offer of three cabinet seats as sour grapes.

In an exclusive interview with The Post, he branded the boycott as "cold-hearted act of abandonment of the city's poorest and most vulnerable citizens".

Mr Ferguson has expressed his disappointment at Labour's refusal to take up the posts and is keeping them open for a week in the hope that there is a change of heart.

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