Ed Miliband has deflected claims his party is at war with itself in Redcar during a visit to Teesside.
The Labour leader was tackled on a range of issues as he held an open question and answer session at Redcar & Cleveland College today.
Ahead of his visit, a number of former Labour councillors recently deselected by the party held a protest.
The group, including former council leader George Dunning, called for an investigation into the party’s “flawed selection process”.
But when asked what he thought of the claims Mr Miliband said: “People don’t like it when they’re deselected and they stop being councillors and I understand the reasons for that.
“But frankly this is a decision taken - some of the deselections happened as a result of local party members deciding they wanted a change.
“People don’t like change sometimes but sometimes change has to happen.
“I’m incredibly proud of the councillors we have standing - steel workers, postmen, retired care workers - people from every walk of life.
“So I understand why people are upset about this but the Labour Party is focused on the public and the difference we’re going to make.”
Mr Miliband appeared at the Corporation Road college where he was quizzed by members of the public on a range of subjects including benefits, the minimum wage, the NHS and crime.
Answering a question from Cleveland Fire Brigade Union’s secretary Davy Howe regarding the brigade’s long-standing dispute with the Government about retirement and pensions, Mr Miliband said: “We want the same deal that’s been done elsewhere in places like Wales where a solution has been reached without costing any more money.
“We’ve got to find a solution and that is what we will do in Government.”
Speaking ahead of Mr Miliband’s visit Mr Dunning said: “I was deselected due to the influence of a group within the party who have never been voted for by the public.
“Everybody knows the selection process is flawed from start to finish.”
Speaking to The Gazette, when asked “Does Ed Miliband support bullying?”, Mr Miliband replied: “What I support is people being selected as councillors that local parties want to be councillors.
“No one has a right to be a councillor forever I’m afraid in the Labour Party.
“I think it’s absolutely right that we move on and focus on the public.”
The upheaval in the Redcar and Cleveland Labour group followed a similar process in the Middlesbrough party last year in which five councillors were deselected following interviews, and although Cllr Derek Loughborough won an appeal against the decision, he quit the party along with Cllrs Len Junier, Pervaz Khan, Sajaad Khan and John McPartland.
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