FOUR Labour councillors in Newport have been de-selected ahead of next year’s Council election.

Long-standing Lliswerry Councillor Allan Morris has been de-selected by the city’s labour Campaign Forum, while the other three councillors - Gaer Councillor Herbie Thomas and Caerleon councillors Cliff Suller and Paul Huntley – have been de-selected by their ward’s Labour branch.

Newport’s Labour group says the process is a positive, democratic selection of new blood, including new female, ethnic minority and younger candidates.

Cllr Morris said he was "bitterly disappointed" by the decision.

"I don’t think I deserve what has happened to me," he said.

“I was bitterly disappointed and I was also very concerned that, at the meeting where I was de-selected, there was no representative of the Lliswerry ward to speak on my behalf.

“I think it’s up to the people of Lliswerry and Nash who they want as a councillor, not the group.

“I think it should have been my own Lliswerry ward who de-selected me and that I should have been given a chance to stand in front of the people I represent.”

Cllr Morris said, in recent years, he has become quite disillusioned with Newport’s Labour group, in particular the way cabinet members are chosen.

“Newport Labour group has some very talented individuals and, unfortunately, the majority of them are outside the cabinet,” he said. “It’s a very similar situation to Caerphilly, but it isn’t just Labour councils.

“The Cabinet system doesn’t bring the best people to the right positions.”

Last month, two Blackwood councillors resigned from Caerphilly council’s Labour party with a scathing attack on the local authority’s ruling group, saying that “nepotism and cronyism is rife”.

Cllr Morris said: “In 30 years, I’ve never had any complaints and I’ve made a success of every job.

“I’ve served as a councillor for a long time and I’ve put my heart and soul into being a councillor and I believe I’ve a 100 per cent record of responding to emails, calls and letters.

“There are some councillors who can’t say that.”

Cllr Morris said that he’s considering “all options” for next year’s council elections.

Rob Hepworth, secretary of Newport Labour Campaign Forum, said: “It’s healthy to have competition amongst our increased membership for the privilege of representing Labour on the City Council.

“We hope Newport people will not view this negatively as de-selection, but as a positive, democratic selection of the new blood we need, including new female, ethnic minority and younger candidates.”