A GREEN city councillor has ruled out the idea of a coalition with Labour, after his party ousted Worcester’s Tory mayor out of Battenhall.

Following the election on Thursday, Labour councillor and council deputy leader Adrian Gregson made an early play for increased co-operation between the two parties.

However Green councillor Louis Stephen said: “There’s no way that we would do that in Worcester.”

Cllr Gregson had said: “The forward progression is Green and Labour working closely together. I don’t think we are at a deadlock. But people have to look at themselves and think: are they going to play politics?”

As it stands, the city council remains in no overall control with the Conservatives’ 17 seats meaning they remain the largest party, while Labour lost one to total 15.

Louise Griffiths took Battenhall from Steve Mackay, joining fellow Greens Neil Laurenson (St Stephen) and Louis Stephen (also Battenhall) on the council.

But Cllr Stephen was quick to quash any hope of a Green-Labour coalition, which would see the two parties take overall control with 18 seats.

He said: “It wouldn’t be a good thing for either party or for Worcester.

“What we want to see continue is the committee system with all parties working together on behalf of Worcester. It’s worked effectively for the last 12 months.

“A coalition is something we wouldn’t support – in part because coalitions don’t usually work very well for the junior partner.”

Cllr Stephen, who was voted onto the council in 2016, said the Worcester Greens are against polarisation and party-political decision-making.

“When issues are discussed and debated in council we vote on merit,” he continued.

“Sometimes Labour councillors have good ideas; sometimes Conservative councillors have good ideas.

“What matters is what works, and we will continue to support ideas from wherever they come from. No party has a monopoly on good ideas.

“Collaboration is better than having overall control,” he added.