Plymouth Plus has been inundated with emails from concerned residents questioning the political positioning of Conservative opposition leader Councillor Andy Lugger following recent developments in Plymouth's mayoral referendum saga.
The controversy stems from the Government's announcement that should Plymouth vote "yes" in the July 17th referendum for a directly elected mayor, the actual mayoral election will be delayed from May 2026 to May 2027. During this extended timeframe, Labour ministers hope to change legislation that would prevent Plymouth from gaining mayoral powers altogether.
Peter Gold, the Reform UK candidate who challenged Luke Pollard in the 2024 General Election, has condemned the move as "cancelling democracy," emphasising that the Government's intention to block Plymouth's mayoral ambitions is not yet enshrined in law.
In stark contrast, Conservative leader Cllr Andy Lugger has welcomed the news, stating:
"This is indeed good news. Common sense has prevailed. Plymouth City Council has worked exceedingly well for many generations without departing into this absurdity of a Directly Elected City Mayor. The Conservative ideology is about not departing into novel ideas and conserving what works best."
However, Cllr Lugger's praise for the current council system has raised eyebrows among Plymouth residents who recall his previous criticisms of the Labour-led administration. Earlier this year, when Council Leader Tudor Evans signed off the authority's accounts without further investigation into £72 million invested in the council's pension fund, Cllr Lugger was highly critical.
At the time, Cllr Lugger questioned why a Government-ordered investigation into the controversial pension deal - initiated by the previous Conservative government due to "significant concerns" - was being abandoned. He pointedly observed:
"When Labour was in opposition they called for inquiries for everything, so it is now out of character that they dispense with one."
Embarrassingly for Cllr Lugger, his endorsement has been placed on the back of Labour's anti-Mayor letters, which have been sent to thousands of postal voters using electoral roll data that Labour was told not to use. As Plymouth Knows Better is administered by the Plymouth Labour Party, Cllr Lugger's endorsement is quite literally being used to generate support for his main political opponent.
The apparent shift in Cllr Lugger's tone has not gone unnoticed. Independent Councillor and former Lord Mayor Terri Beer recently commented that she has
"Never seen such a close Labour/Conservative alliance in local Plymouth politics."
Plymouth Plus's research team has been analysing council minutes and voting records, and the data appears to support Beer's observation. Notable examples include:
- He seconded the council's Local Government Reorganisation plan in March 2025, lending his support to Councillor Tudor Evans' plan to take over swathes of the South Hams
- Similarly, he seconded the council's net zero action plan - despite Conservative councillors raising concerns about emissions-based parking charges similar to London's ULEZ system
- Cllr Lugger voted in favour of holding the mayoral referendum earlier this year
- He appears to be the only Conservative councillor openly supporting Plymouth Labour's "Plymouth Knows Better" campaign
These developments have prompted speculation about the nature of the relationship between the Conservative opposition and the Labour administration. While political cooperation can benefit residents, some observers question whether the opposition is fulfilling its scrutiny role effectively on some of Plymouth's most important issues.
As Leader of the Opposition on Plymouth City Council, Cllr Lugger has an important role to play in holding the administration to account. Cllr Lugger's recent performance has left many asking - what is the point of an Opposition Leader who won't oppose anything Tudor Evans does?
If Cllr Lugger can't or won't say no to Cllr Tudor Evans, it allows Cllr Evans to claim there is cross-party consensus - even for his most egregious plans like the land grab into the South Hams.
The bottom line is this: has Plymouth's Conservative leader genuinely changed his assessment of the council's performance, or are other factors influencing his increasingly supportive stance toward the Labour administration?
As the July referendum approaches, Plymouth residents will have the opportunity to decide whether they want a directly elected mayor - regardless of the political positioning at Council House.
Sign up for free below to get notified with all the latest breaking news from Plymouth Plus.
