A WARRINGTON councillor who is also the son of Labour MP Helen Jones has been suspended from the party pending the outcome of a police investigation.
Cllr Chris Vobe (right) – son of the Shadow Minister for Local Government – was only elected as a councillor for the 
Culcheth ward of Warrington Borough Council in May.
He is also a member of Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council and Croft Parish Council.
Cllr Vobe is the second councillor at Warrington to be suspended from the Labour Party in recent months.
Last month, Cllr Hitesh Patel, an executive board member of the Labour-controlled authority, was suspended from the party pending an internal investigation by Labour’s regional office.
At the time, he said “This is a purely political dispute which will be resolved internally by the Labour Party.
“There are serious questions for Helen Jones MP to answer about the conduct and behaviour of her son, Cllr Chris Vobe, towards democratically elected Labour councillors in Warrington and I expect to be exonerated.
“In the meantime I will continue to work hard to represent the residents of Great Sankey South.”
He said there had been no breach of a councillor’s code of conduct.
Today, Cllr Terry O’Neill, leader of the borough council, said: “This is nothing to do with the Labour group on the council.
“Cllr Vobe has been suspended by the Labour Party’s National Compliance Unit. There will be an internal investigation but as there is a criminal investigation that obviously takes precedence.”
There is a long history of in-fighting between factions of the Labour Party at Warrington, often involving anonymous emails.
It is understood the current investigations involve the sending of and alleged hacking of email accounts.
A spokeswoman for Cheshire Police said an investigation is taking place.
“On October 3, police received information relating to the unlawful access of data held on private computers in the Warrington area.
“The investigation remains in its early stages and enquiries are continuing.”
Councillor suspended pending police probe
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Former Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Patron Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
4 Comments
Get him off the council and get keith bland back in
With all the usual smoke and mirrors involved in yet another spat in the Labour ranks it is sensible to wait for the all the true facts to emerge, especially as the Police “investigation remains in its early stages and enquiries are continuing”. Laying blame on the basis of what has so far been reported in the press is meaningless.
Keith Bland? Wasn’t he one of the Lib/Con executive board that very publicly promised not to sell off Walton Hall & Gardens behind the public’s backs – then minutes later in a private meeting voted to carry on with the Contessa negotiations? Not the type of candidate I’d vote for!
“son of the Shadow Minister for Local Government” ?