WIRRAL Labour has a new leader following a long internal battle within the party ahead of an official vote for the council’s top job in two weeks.
Following a meeting on May 6, Rock Ferry councillor Paula Basnett was elected the new leader of Wirral’s 29 Labour councillors. While not appointed to the top position in the council yet, it is likely she will lead the local authority going forward if she gets support from other parties on May 21.
This is because Wirral is currently in no overall control, meaning any leader will need the support of at least 34 councillors from a minimum of two political parties. Therefore the new Labour leader will be seeking support from opposition parties in the council going forward.
The election of the two top positions in the Labour Party came after weeks of speculation about an internal battle within the party for the top position. This position was left vacant following a challenge to current council leader Cllr Paul Stuart earlier this year which left the leader, under pressure over the risk of the council declaring bankruptcy, announcing he intended to step down in May.
The LDRS understands the choice was between Claughton councillor Gill Wood and Cllr Basnett. If Cllr Basnett is elected Wirral’s next council leader in two weeks, it will be a remarkable rise for a councillor who was only elected two years ago and a sign of potential change within the council.
Cllr Basnett said she would look to restore trust in the council’s finances, speed up regeneration and housing projects, and focus on building cleaner, safer neighbourhoods. She said: “It is an honour to be elected as Leader of Wirral Labour Group. I want to thank my Labour colleagues for their support and confidence at this pivotal time.
“We will work with integrity and focus to tackle the challenges facing our borough – from restoring financial stability to delivering regeneration that truly benefits local people.
“Our priority is clear: to put Wirral residents first, support our communities, and unlock the full potential of our towns and high streets. We will lead a Council that listens, delivers, and is accountable to the people we serve.”
Cllr Basnett thanked outgoing leader Cllr Stuart “for his dedicated service to Wirral throughout his leadership and he will continue his role as a ward councillor in Seacombe”
Before she entered politics, she worked as an investment manager at Wirral Council before taking over the Wirral Chamber of Commerce following a funding crisis in 2013. She has previously spoken to the LDRS about her experience being a foster carer while her family runs The Library in Oxton and she is also a member of GMB Union.
After Labour councillors called on Cllr Stuart to stand down earlier this year, Cllr Basnett was considered to be a front runner in the race to replace him. The Rock Ferry councillor even came under fire from Conservatives in the council chamber and Cllr Jeff Green later raised “ongoing concerns over lack of transparency” about party discussions.
The Chamber of Commerce has historically had a close relationship with Wirral Council with the organisation receiving funding for a business support service contract as well as receiving £1.4m of Town Deal funding to support the purchase and refurbishment of Egerton House in Birkenhead. The building was sold in 2024 to the Chamber of Commerce for £1.975m.
However the Chamber publicly criticised the council last year about a high turnover in the local authority’s regeneration department and alleged lack of engagement with the business sector. Though Cllr Basnett was copied into an email at the time, a representative for the Chamber said she had remained independent over the matter.
More recently, the local authority voted to remove funding for the business support contract as part of this year’s budget while funding for two regeneration projects both linked with the Chamber, a revamped Wirral Transport Museum and the Woodside Ferry Village, were later pulled. On April 24, the support contract was extended by three months to March 2026 but this would be covered by government grant funding.
