By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
A Conservative councillor has defected to the Liberal Democrats after the “final straw” of the selection of an ex neo-Nazi as a Tory candidate in Somerset and Kemi Badenoch’s comments about councillors.
Heather McLain, who represents Severn Vale North at Tewkesbury Borough Council, said she regrets no longer being a member of her former party.
But she has been increasingly disheartened by decisions made by the Conservatives and recent comments of the party’s national leader.
And she blasted the selection of former neo-Nazi Joshua Bonehill-Paine to contest the Crewkerne seat on Somerset Council.
Mr Bonehill-Paine, who also has previous convictions for assaulting a police officer and burglary of a police station, spent three years in prison for posting antisemitic material ahead of a planned neo-Nazi rally and a year later was also convicted of racially harassing then-Labour MP Luciana Berger.
He has since withdrawn his candidacy and said on X that he needed to “show the Jewish community how much I regret my previous actions”.
Cllr McLain said: “I have not left the Conservative Party. They have left me.
“As a result, I have resigned from the Conservative Party. I have been increasingly disappointed and disheartened by decisions made by the leadership of the party.
“The final straw was the Somerset candidate and comments from Kemi Badenoch that all councillors do is bins and parking. Borough councillors do far more than that.
“It should not be forgotten that the Crewkerne candidate had been convicted of assaulting a police officer and burglary of a police station.
“Elected representatives at every level should support our police and respect the rule of law, whilst in no way be a potential risk to constituents.
“I believe in rehabilitation and accept his assurances that he has reformed. I hope he can find more appropriate ways to serve his community in Crewkerne.
“I regret that I can no longer belong to a party where former, violent neo-Nazis are approved as candidates, but centrists who disagree with the leader’s position on human rights and net zero are not.
“These blatant double standards of who is acceptable as a Borough or Parliamentary candidate is just wrong.”
Cllr McLain also said she has been very impressed with the “collaborative approach” of the Tewkesbury Lib Dems.
Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Lib Dem leader Richard Stanley said his group is “absolutely delighted” to welcome her.
“Heather is a hard-working, passionate, principled and compassionate councillor with a long track record of putting residents first, listening to local people and standing up for her community,” he said.
“Those are qualities that matter to residents and values that sit at the very heart of being a Liberal Democrat. Heather has always put public service and the interests of her residents above party politics, and that is why she is such a welcome addition to our team.
“We are delighted to have Heather join us, being a councillor is about making a real difference and we are looking forward to working alongside her to continue delivering for local people.”
Tewkesbury Conservatives have been approached for comment.
The borough council now has 16 Lib Dem councillors, eight Conservatives, four Greens, six Independents, as well as two Isbourne and Winchcombe Independents, one Reform UK councillor and a non-aligned member.
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