The Labour Party has deselected one of its longest-serving Brighton councillors at a meeting in Moulsecoomb this evening (Monday 23 July).

Councillor Anne Meadows will not be on the ballot paper at the local elections in May next year after 25 years on Brighton and Hove City Council and the old Brighton Borough Council.

She chairs the council’s Housing and New Homes Committee as it embarks on the biggest programme of council house building in generations.

But the 61-year-old Moulsecoomb and Bevendean councillor, who was born and raised in her ward, was not on the so-called Momentum slate as her local branch completed its selection process tonight.

The three candidates for next May include 45-year-old council leader Daniel Yates, who learnt that he been reselected a fortnight ago.

This evening the branch voted for two women – Kate Knight and Amanda Scales – to join Councillor Yates.

Momentum, the campaign group to support Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, gave its backing to Kate Knight.

Amanda Scales has been described by colleagues as a Corbyn supporter but is not believed to have accepted Momentum’s endorsement.

Councillor Meadows criticised the “protest politics” of Momentum and said: “I believe the Labour administration have been doing very well building new homes and dealing with this Conservative government’s cuts so as to lessen the impact on residents in the city.

“However, it a shame that Momentum is a protest organisation as I fear the residents will take a back seat in the 2019 elections.

“Momentum are operating within the Labour Party but have no real loyalty to the party and as you know I have suffered intimidation and abuse so they can deselect me and control the ward and the party.”

Amanda Scales said: “I’m humbled and privileged to have the opportunity to stand as a potential councillor for such a fantastic ward – Moulsecoomb and Bevendean.

“Thank you for having faith in me. I will not let you down.

“I’m so happy to have the opportunity to take up the fight for the many not the few with Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister.”

The other serving Labour councillor in the ward, former mayor Mo Marsh, 71, retires next May.

Last week Labour councillor Adrian Morris was deselected in Queen’s Park ward.