Wiltshire Council’s last Labour member expelled from party
Cllr Ricky Rogers has stood by his decisions that led to the dismissal
Wiltshire Council has lost its last remaining Labour member, after he was forced out of the party after more than 50 years.
The party’s ruling body – the National Executive Committee – was angry that Ricky Rogers, who represents Fisherton and Bemerton Village had formed a political group with independent councillor John Wells, a former Labour council member.
Cllr Wells had been forced to step aside before the May 2025 election when Labour insisted on an all-female shortlist for his seat. He stood as an independent and won.
Together they formed the Salisbury Independent and Labour Group – which is technically against Labour Party rules.
Last week, the Labour Party has told Cllr Rogers that he had “on the balance of probabilities” broken party rules when he formed the new group at Wiltshire Council.
The party membership he has held since 1976 was revoked and he can no longer sit as a Labour member or stand in a future election under the Labour banner.
Cllr Rogers – who joined the Transport & General Workers Union, now part of Unite – told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Wiltshire Council became a hung council in May 2025, and as the only Labour councillor holding the balance of power I had the opportunity to have a real say in taking the council forward.
“Two members are required to form a group, which is vital in a hung council.
“John Wells didn’t want to join the Independent group after the election, so he asked if he could join me and I said absolutely.
“We both hold Labour values and we were both going to support each other to get motions on the agenda.
“South West Labour told me to dissolve the group and I said no, because of what we were achieving.”
Cllr Rogers was first elected to Salisbury District Council at a by-lection in 1987 and to Wiltshire County Council – the predecessor of Wiltshire Council – in 1989.
He was part of a group of 24 Labour members, because Swindon was still a part of the authority.
After the election in May 2025, he was Labour’s only unitary councillor in Wiltshire. Now the party has none.
Cllr Rogers added: “If you were to cut me open I’d have Labour written right through me like a stick of rock.
“People know I am Labour. I have stood 14 times as a Labour candidate, I am committed to Labour values, and I have always pledged at every election to put the best interests of my community and local residents first.
“I am deeply, deeply saddened that my 50 year membership of the Labour Party has come to an end. But I did the right thing, and I’d do it again.
“I will continue to do that by serving out my term of office as an Independent Labour member, free from these petty, rigid party rules.
Both Ricky Rogers and John Wells are currently Salisbury City councillors, as well as Wiltshire councillors.
At the last election, Cllr Rogers won his seat as a Labour candidate while Cllr Wells won St Francis and Stratford as an Independent.
Cllr Rogers said he would consider his position at the 2029 Wiltshire Council elections. “I will be 75 and will have served 40 years as a councillor,” he said.
“I hope that somebody fresh will come and pick up the bat. If not, who knows?”