Top Tory quits to deal with grief after baby’s death

CONSERVATIVE group leader Emily Barley (pictured) has resigned from the role as she continues to grieve for her baby daughter.

Cllr Barley — elected with an unprecedented 19 other Tories in 2021 — will continue as a ward member for Hoober.

But she said: “My reason for stepping down as leader is simple. I can’t do it any more.

“In May 2022, my daughter, Beatrice, died during labour at full term because of medical negligence at Barnsley Hospital. She was beautiful, and I miss her every moment of every day.

“Becoming a parent is a life changing moment for everyone, but to become a mother and at the same time see my daughter die because of failings in the care we received has not only changed me, but also broken me.”

Cllr Barley said she was now fighting a “daily battle against PTSD” following her ordeal, while also campaigning for better maternity care.

She added: “I am working hard to hold to account NHS leaders, so many of whom seem to just accept hundreds of babies dying preventable deaths every year across the country.

“It has to stop. I am going to do everything I can to stop other babies suffering as my daughter suffered, and other families experiencing the hell mine is living in.”

Barnsley Hospital apologised earlier this month after a report found staff failed to correctly monitor Bea’s heartbeat during birth — mistakenly checking her mum’s instead.

Chief executive Richard Jenkins said: “We immediately recognised this tragic event should not have happened.

“We have fully co-operated with their independent investigation and we entirely accept the findings and the recommendations, which we are now implementing.”

Cllr Barley said she was proud to have run the campaign which saw the Tories go from zero to 20 seats in the May 2021 local elections.

She added: “As a group which exists to make things better for people living across Rotherham, we have achieved an awful lot in the 18 months since we were elected.

“I am most proud of the detailed and determined work I led to press the council and police on child sexual exploitation, working with survivors to sound the alarm that CSE is still happening, right now, in Rotherham.

“Rotherham's Conservative team will never stop working on this, whoever is leader.”

Deputy group leader Cllr Zach Collingham will continue acting up until an internal party poll decides a new leader in January.