Corbyn Road residents want to change street's name because Labour leader is now linked to 'racism and failure' after stronghold swings blue for first time
- Corbyn Road in Dudley, West Midlands, gained their first ever Tory MP yesterday
- Brexiteer Macro Longhi, 52, beat Labour's Melanie Dudley by 11,533 votes
- Residents now believe house prices could plummet and want name changed
By
Lara Keay For Mailonline
Published: 01:59 AEDT, 14 December 2019 | Updated: 03:57 AEDT, 14 December 2019
2.8kshares
101
View
comments
People living on a street called Corbyn Road have launched a bid to change its name after the Labour stronghold swung to the Conservatives for the first time in its history.
The residential road in the heart of the Dudley North constituency now has its first ever Tory MP after Brexiteer Marco Longhi beat Labour's Melanie Dudley by 11,533 votes.
But now people who live there are worried house prices will drop and the street will be associated with 'racism and failure'.
And losing Labour candidate Melanie Dudley even blamed her party's leader for the historic loss, saying: '[Jeremy] Corbyn didn't always play well on the doorstep. At all.'
You must log in or register to see images
'It's time his name was wiped from history and the name of our street. I don't care what they call it but not after any politician because they're all bloody awful.'
Writing on Facebook, resident Jan Onley said: 'It's time for a petition to ditch the name Corbyn Road for something more united.
'Mr Corbyn doesn't represent us so why does his name appear on our road sign?
'Let's lobby the council to change it to something we all agree with. My suggestion is Unity Road but I'd love to hear other ideas.'
Former Labour stalwart Ian Austin represented Dudley North for 14 years until he dramatically quit in February over Mr Corbyn's leadership and handling of the anti-Semitism scandal engulfing the party.
Weeks before the election he urged voters to back Boris Johnson.