LABOUR is facing anger among councillors in the north-east of England after party officials intervened in the election of a leader and deputy leader of Sunderland Council.

Labour councillors were due to meet to elect a leader and deputy on May 2 but were told by email that the meeting was cancelled and that party officials would be interviewing and vetting candidates.

The email said that Sunderland’s Labour group had been put under the party’s “campaign improvement board” — a scheme set up to “support Labour groups that require improvement.”