Gloucestershire conservative councillor suspended
Paul Turner has been suspended from the group for campaigning for non-Tory to sit as independent.
A Conservative Gloucestershire civic chief, who was suspended for campaigning for a non-Tory candidate in the County Council elections, will now sit as an Independent.
Berkeley Vale Councillor Paul Turner was suspended from the Tory group at Stroud District Council less than 48 hours after the results of the Shire Hall elections were declared on May 2.
He said he was suspended for supporting former Conservative Brian Tipper who stood as an Independent for the Cam division.
Cllr Turner felt Brian Tipper was wronged when he was not selected by his party to contest the seat.
Cllr Turner said he is a “man of principle” and he along with five other major Tory supporters stood by Mr Tipper.
“In October he was selected as the candidate for the Conservative Party to stand for Cam,” Cllr Turner said.
“He knew nothing different until about the middle of December when he was having a casual conversation with an executive member of the Conservative group at Gloucester about other issues.
“At the end of conversation it was casually dropped in ‘of course, we’ve got to get that meeting sorted for the re-selection re-run’.
“‘What do you mean’ says Brian. “’Well within 48 hours we had an objection on technical grounds that your selection was not valid’ came the reply.
Cllr Turner said this was news to Mr Tipper. He was ultimately not selected.
“As a man of principle, I decided to support Brian along with five other major supporters of the Conservative Party in Berkeley,” Cllr Turner said.
“These are people who were avid Conservative members who stood by Brian.
“Of course, as a Conservative councillor, by regulation, I was supposed to support their candidate.
“I stood by Brian, I campaigned for Brian and subsequently it did not take 48 hours after the result of the election for me to be suspended.”
He said he was left in a “difficult and precarious position”. “If I allowed the suspension process to take its course, I would have been further humiliated.
“They would have banned me from the group and party.
“I decided the most obvious thing to do was stand down as a Conservative member of Stroud councillor and become an Independent councillor.”
He said he had meetings with senior officers at Ebley Mill who have been very understanding and considerate.
“I would hope on Thursday night this week, my committee memberships will be reinstated,” he said.
“I will be standing alone and making sure I continue my campaign for my local residents here in Berkeley. It’s not about politics, it’s about people.”
Conservative group leader Lindsay Green (Berkeley Vale), who was the Tory county candidate selected ahead of Mr Tipper, praised Cllr Turner for his service and said his departure was met with regret.
“Councillor Turner has served with distinction and has been a valued member of our team, as well as a respected colleague representing the Berkeley Vale ward,” she said.
“It is with regret that we note the departure of Councillor Paul Turner from the Conservative group.”
The Cam division was won by Reform UK. Michael Reed was elected with 1,111 votes ahead of Conservative Lindsey Green on 745, Labour’s Terry Cook on 726.
Independent Brian Tipper polled 480 while Green Party candidate Liz Hillary and Liberal Democrat Nick Easby received 366 and 236 votes respectively.