Burnley's Brexit Party councillors defect to the Tories

Burnley Council's three Brexit Party councillors have been slammed as "political opportunists" after they announced they had switched to the Conservative Party.
Burnley Town HallBurnley Town Hall
Burnley Town Hall

The Hapton with Park councillors, Alan Hosker, Tom Commis and Peter Gill, who have joined the Tories just months after similarly leaving UKIP, were criticised by Burnley's Labour leader Coun. Mark Townsend.

An outspoken critic of what he has dubbed "Burnley's Coalition of Chaos", Coun. Townsend called on the councillors to resign their seats and call a by-election.

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Coun. Townsend said: "This is political opportunism at its worst and I'm not surprised as the local Tory Party has been taken over in recent months by former UKIP/Brexit Party members.

"Hapton woke up today with three Tory councillors they didn't vote for. If these councillors had any integrity at all they would resign their seats on the council and allow by-elections be held.

"Only 3.6% of the Hapton with Park electorate voted Tory in the last local elections. Many residents in the ward must feel terribly let down and angry at the actions of these councillors."

Coun. Hosker on his Facebook page described the decision as "a big day for him and his colleagues".

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He said: "Today is a big day for me and the team as we have all decided to join the Conservative Party in Burnley and Padiham.

"I joined the council back in 2015 for two reasons - the first was because I could see that nothing was being done in our area by the councillors we had - I thought that needed to change and I'd like to think I have worked hard to make our areas better since being elected.

"The second was because I wanted to leave the EU which is exactly what we will be doing next Friday.

"After a meeting with my other councillors, we have decided to join the Conservatives because it gives us more of a voice on the council to help the residents in this area.

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"That being said we will still, as we always have, work for the residents first and nothing changes that.

"It does mean that come May when my seat is up for re-election I will be standing as a Conservative candidate for Hapton with Park and hope I can count on your continued support."

The leader of Burnley Conservatives, Coun. Andrew Newhouse, welcomed the trio's decision.

He said: "The Burnley Conservatives would like to welcome three new councillors into the group at Burnley Council. Alan, Tom and Peter are a welcome addition and all three will continue to work for the residents they represent."