In a frankly baffling reflection of the lack of confidence the local Labour Party has in its own judgement of only a year ago, the party today is reported to have deselected the current serving Mayor. A person who was put forward last year as a role model and ambassador for the borough is apparently no longer seen fit to hold the public office of councillor. Here she is being celebrated abroad for her exalted status:

Cllr Anna Mbachu is rumoured to have been de-selected by her own party members, along with fellow councillors Shameem Highfield, Tarsem Bhogal, Elisabeth Davies and Milton Martin, while Cllrs Midge Broadley, Adam Gladstone, and Eric Sizer, (the Labour chief whip), have confirmed they will stand down "for personal reasons".

The shake up is, as yet, unexplained by a Labour Party which is not normally so shy to spin itself large to the local public. How many people will mourn the loss of the culled councillors is an interesting question. I suspect at least one of them would be welcomed if a discrete word were to be had with the LibDems. (This is something I already know key but potentially defecting Labour activists have had, late at night over kebabs, prior to the recent European elections in which the mainstream local parties successfully saw off the BNP). Some, however, will not be missed by many outside of their immediate circle of friends.

There are questions being raised as to whether there is a racial element in all these deselections, as it has been noted that the deselected ones are all 'black' or sikh. While the anonymous Labour Party 'spokesman' fails to explain the moves, speculation is bound to be rife. It probably will be anyway, once the Party line guff gushes forth.

There is plenty to speculate about, though I do note that Liaquat Ali survived his reselection. However, that might be because he might not survive the verdict of voters in a ward Labour probably no longer expect to hold at the next election. Hence no rush by the ambitious to unseat him.

Did the deselected councillors do something wrong? Maybe some did. Had they been lulled into a false sense of security by all the lip service Labour has paid to equal opportunities over the years round here? I think maybe so. Is it because they are from minorities which have been gradually turning their back on Labour? Or did they all forget a basic rule of politics, that you watch your back at all times?

Whatever the reason, and there may be a number of factors in play here, (we have a new regime in power trying very hard to stamp its mark) this seems to be another sign of the local Labour Party's impending total implosion.