POLITICIANS across Barnsley have admitted that something must change in central government after the Labour Party lost a huge 35 seats in last week’s local elections as Reform stormed to victory in the town.
Across the country - including in Barnsley - Labour lost a monumental amount of seats and many believe the poor results land firmly at the feet of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
His actions and poor leadership have never been far from the lips of locals on the doorstep and some believe that Barnsley’s high turnout last Thursday was voters showing their strong feeling against him.
Calls have been made for his resignation.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said that something needs to change.
He added: “These may be local election results but they are a verdict on the government.
“The results we’ve seen today in South Yorkshire cannot be seen simply as a rejection of the performance of our councils in Barnsley and in Sheffield.
“Barnsley Labour have been showing the rest of the country how to bring jobs, growth and hope back to a great northern town.
“Time and again over the last few weeks, just like every other Labour campaigner across the country, I’ve heard the same message time and again - people are angry and they’re frustrated.
“They don’t believe this government have kept their word and they aren’t feeling the fundamental change they were promised - that so many people in South Yorkshire so desperately need.
“And for as long as this government fails to recognise the urgency and scale of those demands, that sense of anger will remain.
“Democracy is messy and it is noisy, but ultimately it is up this government to decipher the signal from the noise.
“If they cannot do that, and quickly, then this will not be last time people across South Yorkshire and across this country make their voices heard loudly, and clearly.
“Government’s that do not listen to the public don’t get to remain the government for very long - and their legitimacy disappears long before their mandate does.
“We can’t go on like this.”
Marie Tidball, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, echoed Mayor Coppard’s sentiments.
She said: “These results show that the public do not think we have done enough quickly enough to improve their quality of life and meet their ambitions.
“People are frustrated.
“Labour was elected to change the country.
“We must work harder than ever to keep that promise.
“However, while there is disappointment I am pleased that our excellent Penistone East team has elected Coun Dr Alex Burnett and Coun Frances Nixon.
“The brilliant John Roberts lost out by a hair’s breadth but has been elected to the Penistone Town Council.”
Barnsley South MP Stephanie Peacock praised former council leader Sir Steve Houghton for his efforts, as did Barnsley North’s Dan Jarvis.
Neither commented on the strong feeling around the Prime Minister.
