Former deputy leader of Sunderland City Council Michael Mordey dismisses 'nonsense' claims of 'vendetta'

Michael Mordey was ousted from his position as second in command at the Civic Centre in August 2020 due to ‘internal Labour Party politics’.

But questions have been raised over the fallout from the reshuffle after Cllr Mordey was removed from a raft of committees and other bodies he was formerly appointed to.

“We’re seeing the former deputy leader being removed from a large number of committees,” said Cllr Niall Hodson, leader of the council’s opposition Liberal Democrat group.

“What makes me very uncomfortable as a councillor is that I feel like I’m being asked to enact a vendetta of the [leader of the council].

“I don’t intend to support this unless some clarification can be given that this is consensual business and it is Cllr Mordey’s wish to be removed from these committees.”

Cllr Hodson was speaking at a meeting of all members of the city council, which was held by videolink and broadcast via YouTube.

It took councillors so long to get through the business on the session’s agenda they had to stop after almost five hours and restart the following morning.

Cllr Graeme Miller has previously declined to publicly comment on his decision to dismiss Cllr Mordey from the number two job, other than to say it was due to ‘internal Labour Party politics’.

A report to last week’s full council meeting sought permission to remove Cllr Mordey from his positions on eight separate council panels and other organisations, a move he insisted he accepted.

Cllr Mordey said: “To clear up any nonsense from the Liberal Democrats, there isn’t anything untoward in these changes.

“The positions I held were associated with my previous position as deputy leader, which I no longer hold.

“It is therefore fair, proper and right that these positions are taken by others.

“There’s nothing untoward about it, it’s run of the mill business, so the Lib Dems should stop trying to make a fuss where no fuss exists.”

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