Tory council candidates list their party as ‘Local Conservatives’ in an attempt to separate themselves from Theresa May’s leadership
A Tory MP has said they want to avoid 'Westminster associations' following voters' anger over the failure to deliver Brexit on time
TORY council candidates have listed their party as ‘Local Conservatives’ in a bid to “detoxify” themselves from Theresa May’s leadership, The Sun can reveal.
The party faces losing control of councils across the country due to the failure to deliver Brexit on time and Mrs May’s decision to enter cross-party talks with Jeremy Corbyn.
Nomination papers submitted by candidates - seen by The Sun - reveal that many local Tory associations hope to escape voters’ anger over Brexit by listing their party on ballot papers for the May 2 local elections as ‘Local Conservatives’.
A Tory MP who handed over a copy of Lincolnshire’s nomination papers said their candidates are listed as ‘local Conservatives’ “because they think Westminster associations are now so toxic”.
Among those who are using the ‘Local Conservatives’ tag are Richard Wright, who is head of the Lincolnshire Area Conservative party.
Terry Boston, who is fighting the Ruskintgon Ward in North Kesteven District Council elections next month, has also avoided using the national party’s name in next month’s elections.
It comes after The Sun revealed on Saturday that local Tory bosses have threatened to boycott the European elections if Mrs May goes ahead with them.
They have warned that “a lot of Tory activists are going to be on strike” because of the PM’s decision to request another extension to Article 50.
The chairman of the Conservative London East Area said the party was struggling to find any activists willing to campaign for the Tories in the European elections.
Dinah Glover told The Sun: “They just don’t have that commitment - they’re just not going to put weeks of their lives on hold to campaign for something they don’t believe in.
“Going out to campaign would be giving a very literal example of the fact that we are still in the EU. It’s not sustainable. The mood is not good and not positive.
“The deadline for leaving the EU has been extended and the message that sense out is appalling - we’ll actually be proposing putting MEPs back into the European Parliament when we voted to leave on 23 June 2016. It just shows democracy has failed.”
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk