It’s safe to say Wirral’s Labour Party has had a pretty turbulent few months.

If it’s not been resignations, then it’s been de-selections, allegations of antisemitism or backbench members speaking out against crucial party policies.

With spring’s Local Elections moving ever closer, and council leader Phil Davies having previously announced he won’t stand for re-election, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will lead the party – and likely the council – after May 2.

It was widely thought that long-standing Liscard councillor and cabinet member Bernie Mooney would take the reins, before she was controversially deselected by her party last month.

That de-selection came as the split in Labour between the so-called ‘centrist’ cabinet and the ‘left’ appeared to widen even further – with the Local Campaign Forum claiming the latter views now represent the majority of the party.

With elected members of the biggest party choosing the leader, it’s extremely difficult to say who will get enough support, but many in the membership reportedly want a ‘hustings’-type event immediately after the election to identify potential candidates, with a subsequent non-binding ballot.

With that in mind, the Local Democracy Reporting service has come up with a shortlist of nine candidates – one of which we think will probably end up leading the council once May’s election madness is over.

Cllr Stuart Whittingham

Current Highways and Transport member Cllr Stuart Whittingham is one of three – alongside Cllrs Janette Williamson and Angie Davies – considered to be favourites to succeed the current leader.

Upton member Cllr Whittingham, first elected in 2010, has made headlines over the past year for projects including repairing every single one of Wirral’s 27,000 streetlights.

That’s as well as being transport chief last year when the authority announced a dramatic u-turn on plans for parking charges at coastal car parks.

Cllr Janette Williamson

Cllr Williamson is the second of those touted to succeed Cllr Davies.

Currently the cabinet member for finance and resources, she was first elected to the Liscard ward in 2012, and retained her seat last May with a large majority winning 64% of the vote.

She’s played a big part in the last few council budgets, with the current rise meaning a 2.99% council tax rise, money for the devastated New Ferry community, and the purchase of the Vue cinema site in Birkenhead.

Cllr Angie Davies

Rounding off the likely trio is Cllr Angie Davies, another cabinet member, this time for jobs and growth.

Relatively new to the council compared with some colleagues, Cllr Angie Davies was elected in 2015.

Her presence in the news in recent months has seen her front the £1bn regeneration project in Birkenhead.

Cllr Phillip Brightmore

Pensby and Thingwall councillor Phillip Brightmore, who is seeking re-election in May, is thought to have a chance of succeeding Cllr Davies.

A cabinet member who is always speaking out against Tory Government cuts, Cllr Brightmore has been an elected member since 2013.

Last year, he revealed he has myeloma – a rare terminal blood cancer mostly seen in much older people, and revealed he discovered it “by accident”.

Cllr George Davies

Another of the Davies’, George is current deputy leader of the council, as well as cabinet member for housing.

A ward member for Claughton, he’s had responsibility for the borough’s local plan – arguably the most controversial issue of the past 12 months in Wirral.

He’s the final member of the more ‘centrist’ cabinet who could take the reigns after his fellow Davies stands down.

Cllr Steve Foulkes

The first of the more unlikely lot of politicians, Cllr Steve Foulkes has been a member of the council for nearly 30 years, and was actually the leader of Wirral Council before Cllr Phil Davies took over in 2012.

At the time, Cllr Foulkes, who has also been Lord Mayor, said “many demands” and “constant stress” of the role had “taken their toll on my family life, my health and my work”.

Four years later, he was also forced to write a formal apology over a failed “smear attempt” against Tory leader Jeff Green.

Cllr Tony Norbury

Cllr Tony Norbury is possibly one of Wirral’s most outspoken councillors, regularly speaking at meetings to slate the Tories, claiming to represent socialist values of the left.

Most recently, he’s vowed to fight projects such as the Celtic Manor Golf Resort in Hoylake from within the party, opting to obey the whip so as not to be suspended.

A ward councillor for Prenton, he’s also a vocal critic of MP Frank Field, who quit the Labour whip last year. Cllr Norbury has said he will stand in any future election against Mr Field, so this year could be a busy one for him.

Yvonne Nolan

An outside bet – Yvonne Nolan is a controversial figure in Wirral politics having not even been active since the 1980s – and it wouldn’t be the first time she led the party.

Last year, she was selected to run in the Rock Ferry seat in place of long-standing member and ex-mayor Cllr Chris Meaden, who has now announced she’s running as an independent.

Speaking in December, Ms Nolan said returning to politics was “always her plan”, but denied her party’s links with the left-wing Militant group in the 1980s, which was alleged by the borough’s Conservatives earlier this year.

Her spell as leader – which she described as a “fairly momentous time”, saw her district party suspended by the party NEC.

Cllr Ian Lewis

Conservative group leader Cllr Ian Lewis is the only non-Labour politician that could feasibly lead Wirral Council come May 3.

Admitting himself it would be “virtually impossible” for the Tories to win enough seats for a majority (they would need to overturn a 15-seat deficit), it would be possible in some sort of hung council if Labour lose enough seats.

He represents Wallasey, has been an elected member since 1999, and as one would expect, rarely holds back when given the chance to criticise Labour.