Labour MP Sarah Coombes has criticised Reform UK after the party formed a council cabinet in Sandwell without a single woman.
The West Bromwich MP said she was “appalled” by the make-up of the Reform-led administration, arguing that women’s voices should be represented when decisions are being taken about key local services.
In a post highlighting the composition of the council’s leadership, Coombes said:
“It’s official: the Reform-led Sandwell Council has ZERO women councillors on its cabinet.”
She added that the absence of women meant there were “no women’s voices on such important areas like safety, community services, social care and more.”
Coombes said the make-up of the cabinet was particularly concerning given that women account for around half of the population.
“Women make up half of our population but I’m appalled that they can’t find a single woman to sit on the cabinet.”
Her intervention comes after Reform took control of Sandwell Council following this year’s local elections, ending Labour’s control of the Black Country authority.
The composition of the new administration is likely to bring further scrutiny of Reform’s record on representation as the party takes responsibility for running local authorities.
Coombes also encouraged residents to look at the composition of Sandwell Council’s cabinet for themselves, sharing a graphic highlighting its all-male membership.
The criticism comes amid an increasingly important political contest between Labour and Reform in the West Midlands, with Sandwell and the wider Black Country expected to remain a key battleground in the years ahead.
