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Tories lose control of district following ‘moral’ resignation over Cummings

by Ian Shires on 28 May, 2020

Published on Local Government Chronicle 27 MAY 2020 BY 

The Conservatives have lost control of West Devon BC after a councillor resigned from the party whip in disgust at the Dominic Cummings affair.

Okehampton North councillor Mike Davies resigned from the Tory group to sit as an Independent in protest at the actions of the prime minister’s chief advisor which are widely believed to contradict travel rules introduced to combat Covid-19.

His departure leaves the council under no overall control with the Conservatives controlling 15 of the 31 seats.

Cllr Davies, a part-time pastor who founded a group called Praying for Politicians which has 8,000 members, told LGC: “I’m a Conservative in terms of values but I was appalled that when we’ve told everyone to stay in, in a lockdown situation, we’ve had a government advisor who’s travelled across England.

“I’m appalled that the prime minister hasn’t dismissed him.”

The member, whose personal website carries pictures of him with both David Cameron and Boris Johnson, said he had thought “long and hard” before resigning, consulting his leader Neil Jory (Con) and local Tory MP Mel Stride.

“I said that I’d support Cllr Jory in his leadership but that I felt I had to take a stance morally.”

Asked about the reaction of his former colleagues in the Conservative group, Cllr Davies said: “It goes both ways. Some are supportive, some aren’t.” He predicted other Tory councillors around the country could take similar action.

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