Colleen Fletcher

Colleen Fletcher was initially a councillor on Coventry City Council. During this time, she served in several roles, including cabinet member for community safety, the chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, and the chair of the Labour Group, before standing down in 2015. In addition, Fletcher was a member of Labour’s National Policy Forum, and of the West Midlands Regional Board of the Labour Party, being regional chair for two years. In 2017, Fletcher was appointed as an opposition whip. She backed Owen Smith during the 2016 Labour leadership election. Fletcher has consistently challenged the government on its benefits policies, pointing out in the House of Commons that 75 per cent of disabled Coventry residents who apply for Personal Independence Payments and are turned down go on to appeal successfully. Fletcher was opposed to Brexit and was in favour of a second referendum. In January 2020, Fletcher backed Jess Phillips for the Labour leadership. She has been on APPGs for cancer, blood cancer, pancreatic cancer, British Muslims, homelessness and stem cell transplantation. Fletcher joined the Administration Committee in 2017.