I've been spat at and abused, says council leader stepping down

A council leader who is stepping down from the role has said she has been spat at and called a traitor and she believes politics has become toxic, especially for women.

Labour councillor Yvonne Gagen is giving up the West Lancashire Council leader's post, which she has held since 2022, although she will remain a councillor until 2027, when her elected term ends.

Gagan was the first woman to lead the council but she said women were now being turned-off politics because of the current "nasty" public atmosphere.

The Skelmersdale councillor was not up for election herself in last week's local elections but her decision comes at a difficult time for Labour, following local election losses.

She has defended her Labour group's record, especially in building new homes and she said years of austerity were to blame for the council being unable to afford to build new swimming pools.

Gagen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "I'm stepping down as leader and a new one will be decided at the full council later this month.

"Politics has changed and become quite nasty. I've been spat at in a shop and called a traitor.

"I've been a councillor for 16 years. I don't want to leave local politics but I don't like the environment any more.

"I've also attended Liverpool Regional Authority meetings and I think quite a few women are thinking about standing down from politics for similar reasons.

"I don't think I'll continue as a councillor after next year, when my term is up, because of how difficult it is."

Gagen, who was a former Wales international footballer who played for Everton and Wigan before retiring in 1997 said West Lancashire councillors were generally respectful to each other, despite political differences but wider public debates and social media are increasingly hostile.

She said: "We're the first council to be building new homes since the 1970s.

"Yet we're being criticised for everything and Labour councillors have lost their seats in the elections."

In last week's West Lancashire Council elections, Labour suffered losses to Reform and the Our West Lancashire (OWL) group.

The borough now has 13 Labour councillors, 12 Conservatives, 11 OWL, seven Reform and two independents. And a new administration needs to be formed by one party or more.

In addition to Gagen stepping down as leader, her former deputy, Gareth Dowling, lost his Ormskirk seat last week.

He blamed national political trends, saying his own campaign highlighted local work so West Lancashire's Labour group needs a new leader and deputy and the wider council needs a new political administration following the elections.

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