Birmingham Council Leader Loses No-Confidence Vote

The vote came just before local elections, with opposition parties citing financial troubles and service failures.

Mar. 25, 2026 at 10:03am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Birmingham City Council's leader, John Cotton of the Labour party, has lost a no-confidence vote at the last full council meeting before local elections on May 7. The vote was brought by the Conservative opposition, who were backed by other opposition parties like the Liberal Democrats and Greens. The Conservatives cited issues like the council's financial troubles, including effective bankruptcy, and the ongoing bin strike as reasons for the no-confidence motion.

Why it matters

The no-confidence vote comes at a critical time for Birmingham, with all 101 council seats up for election in May. The city has faced significant challenges, including financial troubles that led to the council declaring effective bankruptcy, as well as ongoing issues with bin collections. The vote reflects deep political divisions in the city and could impact the upcoming local elections.

The details

The no-confidence motion was a last-minute amendment brought by the Conservative group, who argued that Labour had "broken Birmingham City Council". The Tories were backed by other opposition parties, allowing them to outvote the ruling Labour group. Conservative councillor Deirdre Alden cited the council's financial troubles and collapse in services as reasons for the vote. Liberal Democrat councillor Colin Green said the council was "broken but fixable" due to mistakes by the Labour administration. After the vote, Conservative group leader Robert Alden said it was "a turning point" and that Labour's leader had lost the confidence of the council and the people.

  • The vote took place at the last full council meeting before Birmingham's local elections on May 7, 2026.
  • Last month, at the council's budget meeting, leader John Cotton said the council was no longer bankrupt and an extra £130 million was being invested in services.

The players

John Cotton

The leader of Birmingham City Council, representing the Labour party.

Deirdre Alden

A Conservative councillor who cited the council's financial troubles and collapse in services as reasons for the no-confidence vote.

Colin Green

A Liberal Democrat councillor who said the council was "broken but fixable" due to mistakes by the Labour administration.

Robert Alden

The leader of the Conservative group on Birmingham City Council, who said the no-confidence vote was "a turning point" for the city.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We've had the council declaring effective bankruptcy which was humiliating and costly. On top of more taxes, we've got a collapse in services so it's a double whammy.”

— Deirdre Alden, Conservative councillor

“Today's vote needs to be a turning point for Birmingham. Labour's leader has lost the confidence of the council because Labour has lost the confidence of the people.”

— Robert Alden, Conservative group leader

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This no-confidence vote reflects the deep political divisions in Birmingham and the significant challenges the city has faced, including financial troubles and service failures. The outcome could have a major impact on the upcoming local elections, where all 101 council seats are up for grabs.