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| Cllr Dearnley |
This is the public statement made after the defection of a Green councillor to the Conservatives. Amongst other things he claimed that the Green Party had become 'too leftwing' and disagreed with the party's position on the EU Referendum..
Norwich Green Party and the Norfolk County Council Green group condemn Councillor Adrian Dearnley’s decision to defect to the Conservative Party, and in particular his decision to announce this through the press without informing us.
We were aware that Councillor Dearnley had some growing differences of opinion with the Green Party, notably on the EU referendum. If he feels that he can no longer be a member of the party, then that is a decision for him.
However, we are shocked that Councillor Dearnley would choose to throw in his lot with the Conservative Party, which over the last six years has overseen the systematic destruction of local government and the welfare system, left British people poorer and more divided, and shown total disregard for our environment and the urgent need to tackle climate change. Locally, too, the Conservatives are the party of environmental destruction, pushing for the King’s Lynn incinerator and ill-thought-out road schemes like the NDR, which the Greens have fought so hard to oppose.
Most of all, we are appalled by the lack of respect shown by Councillor Dearnley both to Thorpe Hamlet residents, who elected a Green councillor to serve them, and to his former colleagues in the Green Party, who feel betrayed and angry that he saw fit to make this decision behind their backs.
Your Green councillors will continue to work hard to represent you, to challenge the Conservative administration at County Hall and to speak up for the environment and for those hit by cuts. We stand in solidarity with the residents of Thorpe Hamlet in the face of this betrayal. The work of Councillors Lesley Grahame, Ben Price and Jo Henderson in their ward will continue to show them the real face of Green councillors – hardworking, concerned for people and planet, and committed to giving residents a voice.