Dragon Interview: Jan Harwood’s Right of Reply

Published on: 20 Dec, 2021
Updated on: 22 Dec, 2021

Cllr Jan Harwood

Cllr Jan Harwood’s defection from the Liberal Democrats to the Conservatives at Guildford Borough Council was the most surprising local political news of 2021 and, as he readily admits in the interview, with the background of current events his timing could hardly have been worse.

The subject of his move has cropped up in our recent series of interviews with backbench councillors, claims were made and Cllr Harwood asked if he could have a right of reply. We were happy to oblige.

He details the reasons for his decision, the situation, as he saw it, within the Lib Dem Group at Millmead, his position on the Local Plan and its review and his relationship with his new group leader Paul Spooner who he fiercely criticised when he was still a Lib Dem.

He talks frankly. Please listen. The interview was recorded on Friday, December 17.

Responses to Dragon Interview: Jan Harwood’s Right of Reply

Jules Cranwell Reply

December 21, 2021 at 7:04 am

Cllr Harwood came across as ignorant, arrogant, with a supreme belief in his own abilities. I guess this means he will fit right in with the local Tories.

How he can reconcile his supposed commitment to the climate change agenda with his support for the ruinous Local Plan beggars belief.
David Roberts Reply

December 22, 2021 at 6:51 pm

Well done again, The Dragon, on another excellent interview. The contrast between the unintentionally self-revealing Cllr Harwood and GGG’s modest, public-spirited, hard-working Cllr Young is total.

Cllr Harwood comes across as self-centred, seeming to regard local politics as a game. Amid the sour grapes and half-revealed dirty laundry, he takes humble-bragging to a new level.

I feel I’ve wasted half an hour of my life I’ll never get back with Cllr Harwood. Yet this latest interview has a repellent fascination.

Required viewing for political masochists everywhere.