Kirklees Council will remain without a leader for at least another month after a second attempt to elect one ended in deadlock. On Thursday, councillors failed to choose between Reform UK group leader Sarah Wood and Green Party head Andrew Cooper, with both receiving exactly 29 votes in a private ballot. The result means the council's chief executive will continue in charge until a third vote scheduled for 15 July.
The latest stalemate follows a chaotic annual general meeting on 21 May, during which Wood was widely mocked after admitting she did not understand many council procedures. That session was marked by lengthy procedural arguments and confusion over voting.
At Thursday's reconvened meeting, Wood defended her experience, saying she "didn't need to know everything in council" because other councillors could offer support. Cooper highlighted his long tenure, noting his first election was in 1999. When asked how they could provide stability, Cooper said his record "stood for itself," while Wood tried to raise a point of order over what she called repetitive questioning.
After the vote, Wood told the BBC: "We tried our best to reach a conclusion and left nothing off the table. Between now and the next meeting, we will be focused on demonstrating our commitment to collaboration." Cooper said the outcome reflected the authority's divided nature: "The public voted for a council that is mixed in this way, so we're going to have to try and work out how to move forward." He added that councillors would continue working for their communities "with or without a leader."
Reform UK is the largest party on Kirklees Council, holding 29 of the 69 seats after the 7 May local elections—just short of a majority. The Greens have 12 seats, Independents 11, Conservatives 9, Liberal Democrats 5, and the Valley Independent Group 3.