Local Tory Parties’ Silence on Spooner Split Seems to Say, ‘Least Said, Soonest Mended’

Published on: 6 Jul, 2020
Updated on: 8 Jul, 2020

By Martin Giles

Former GBC leader Paul Spooner’s announcement of a split in the remaining eight-member Conservative council group has more than ruffled party feathers.

One Guildford Tory told The Dragon: “The statement in his press release that says the four local party associations support the move is absolute bollocks.” (See: Leadership Issue Forces Break Up of Guildford Borough Tories).

Tory Group Split

All the associations have failed to respond to questions about the impact and repercussions of the split. One unconfirmed report claimed some sort of mediation between the two groups is to be attempted.

The breakaway four come from three parliamentary constituencies Surrey Heath (Cllrs Spooner and Eyre), Woking (Cllr Bilbe) and Mole Valley (Cllr Billington).

Political party association boundaries align with Parliamentary constituency, rather than borough, boundaries. No Conservative councillors at GBC come from the Guildford Conservative Association area.

The three associations with councillors involved, plus Guildford’s, and all four respective MPs, Angela Richardson (Guildford), Michael Gove (Surrey Heath), Jonathan Lord (Woking) and Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley) were asked:

1. Is it true that the local Conservative Associations supported Cllr Spooner’s creation of a new “Conservative group at GBC”, as claimed?
2. Did he seek your advice before the announcement?
3. Will his group members be allowed to stay within the party?
4. What will happen at future local elections?
5. Will Cllr Spooner’s “Conservative Independent” group be allowed to stand unchallenged by official Conservative candidates?

But the only response received was from Sir Paul Beresford, known to be a critic of Cllr Spooner. He said: “I understand Mole Valley Conservative Association had not given support for this new “Conservative Independent” group”, and he confirmed he had not been approached to give advice.

To the question, would members of the breakaway group be allowed to stay within the party? Sir Paul responded: “This is up to The Conservative Party. As I understand the rules, if an individual belongs to another party, other than the Conservative Party, this is incompatible.”

And as for future elections? “It would be my wish that, as normal, the Conservative Party will put up a full slate of candidates in the next local election including the Guildford Borough Council wards in the Mole Valley Constituency.”

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