A VETERAN Labour councillor deselected by her party is bidding to become national president of a trade union.

Councillor Pat Buttle, a member of Darlington Borough Council for almost 25 years, said yesterday that, along with a number of other Darlington Labour councillors, she had not been chosen to stand in the council election in May

But she said the move would enable her to pursue her ambition to become president of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers.

She said: "I was not shortlisted but I have no axe at all to grind with the party.

"I would have stood for Park East but there were new people there and I felt that the newer people should be given a chance.

"I really want to be president of my union. That is a very senior position and would involve a lot of work at a national level. The vote will take place in March."

Coun Buttle, 60, was made member for Haughton East in 1979, and later the Haughton West ward. In recent years, she has been member for Park East.

Secretary of the Darlington branch of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), she worked for 27 years at the North-Eastern Co-op before moving to the Newcastle and Gateshead TUC Centre Against Unemployment.

Councillor John Williams, leader of Darlington council, said her "trenchant and forthright views" would be missed at Darlington Town Hall.

He said: "Over the years, Pat has given great service to the people of her ward, the people of Darlington and to the Labour council."