Sitting councillor facing de-selection

Councillor Angela Coric

Angela Coric, Liberal Democrat councillor for Milkstone and Deeplish ward, is facing a battle to defend her seat in next May's local elections... from within her own party.

Councillor Coric is facing de-selection by Lib Dems in Milkstone and Deeplish as her ward party members seek to have her replaced by an ethnic minority candidate, though as one of Councillor Coric's supporters has pointed out, as a Serbian, Councillor Coric is from an 'ethnic minority'.

Asked to comment Councillor Coric maintained a dignified silence and refused to do so. Councillor Mohammad Sharif was more disingenuous in claiming to know nothing of the attempt at de-selection despite being ‘kingpin’ at a local meeting in the ward this week where a vote was taken to de-select Councillor Coric.

It is understood that a number of leading Liberal Democrats are unhappy with the decision. The belief is that Councillor Coric is being ousted because she is not from an Asian background in a ward that is predominantly Asian; however, a source close to the Lib Dems in Milkstone & Deeplish refutes the allegation and says the reason is they are “unhappy with Councillor Coric’s performance as a councillor”.

It has been pointed out that the decision taken at the recent meeting cannot, as it is, stand as the meeting was not "legally constituted" - it is conceded that it would though be a very simple matter to reconvene a legally constituted meeting and vote again to de-select Councillor Coric.

Rochdale Online has come under pressure not to publish this article; however, on balance we have taken the decision that the public has an interest in knowing the political processes going on behind the scenes and that transparency can only be good overall for local democracy.