LABOUR in Oxford was plunged into turmoil on Sunday as the party withdrew from the ruling coalition on Oxfordshire County Council.

The move comes days after prominent left-wing black councillor Jabu Nala-Hartley was barred from running in next year’s Oxford City Council elections.

The so-called Fair Deal Alliance, struck with the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party after the county council elections in 2021 to end years of Tory rule, has been beset by disagreements over its delivery of special educational needs & disability (Send) services. 

A statement from Oxfordshire Labour Group said: “We have felt for some time that the Liberal Democrats do not appreciate the scale of the challenges facing our council. 

“Unfortunately, the Liberal Democrats have shown that they aren’t interested in working together and instead simply want to score points and pass blame.

“We therefore have no option but to leave the coalition.”

Ms Nala-Hartley was blocked by a local selection panel from continuing as the councillor for the ward she has represented since 2021 when she topped the poll of the two winning Labour candidates.

The local selection panel said Ms Nala-Hartley had failed to attend the number of canvassing sessions required of all candidates.

However, she says her appeal against the decision was lost even though other “white councillors passed their panel despite having similar attendance to me.”

A protest is set for 5.30pm tomorrow at Underhill Circus in her Barton ward.

Ms Nala-Hartley will continue as a councillor until next May’s local elections.

The selection panel is reportedly considering replacing Ms Nala-Hartley with councillor Linda Smith, a current city cabinet member and wife of prominent Labour rightwinger Luke Akehurst.