Outgoing leader of Oldham Council Arooj Shah has confirmed she will remain the leader of the Oldham Labour Group after being re-elected unopposed.
On Sunday (May 10), Cllr Shah shared a social media post in which she said she would "cease being the leader of the council" next week when the annual council meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 20.
Her decision comes after Labour suffered major losses during the local elections last week, with the party failing to retain a total of nine seats.
Now, despite stepping down from her role as leader of the council, Cllr Shah has shared that she will continue to be the leader of the Labour Party in Oldham.
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In a post shared on social media, Cllr Shah said she was "honoured to have been re-elected unopposed".
She continued by saying: "At a time when politics can often appear divided and inward-looking, I’m proud that Oldham Labour remains united, focused and determined to deliver for the people we represent."
Cllr Shah said Oldham Labour has "a clear responsibility" to be an "effective and constructive opposition" to "whatever administration comes to fruition".
She added: "We will continue to make the case for a positive future for our borough, rooted in fairness, opportunity and ambition for every resident.
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"The people of Oldham expect their politicians to work hard, stay focused on the issues that matter, and put the borough first. That is exactly what Oldham Labour will continue to do."
Cllr Shah previously said her party will not look to form a coalition with Reform UK or The Oldham Group, the second and third biggest parties in the borough respectively.
The news of Cllr Shah stepping down as council leader was welcomed by the Oldham Conservatives and Oldham Liberal Democrats, who said her position was "completely untenable".
In her post announcing she would be stepping down as council leader, Cllr Shah accused Reform and The Oldham Group of running "divisive and toxic campaigns" based on "identity and grievance politics that go against our values".
She also went on to urge all parties "to draw a line under their infighting" and "lower the temperature of political conduct" in Oldham.
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