Confusion over Brent Tory groups merger

Responding to jibes from Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt about the two Conservative groups on the Council and which one was the true Conservative, Cllr Kansagra, deputy leader of the Conservative Group, admitted that the public and councillors were 'fed up' with the existence of two groups and the extra time and resources this took up.

He said that councillors and the public might be pleased to hear that there were proposals in the pipeline that there may be one Conservative Group in the future. Turning to Labour councillors he said, 'You will be happy with this - we will tolerate it!'

The Conservative Group currently has four members and the Brent Conservatie Group two members. Labour has 56 councillors and there is one Independent.

However it appears things are not that straightforward. Responding to a query from me earlier today, Cllr Warren said: 'That statement from Cllr Kansagra was as much a surpise to me as it was to you!'

He went on, 'Politics is very unpredictable....but as of today nothing has been put forward to me about mergers.'

A merger would makes things more straighforward for the Conservatives when it comes to selecting candidates for the 2018 local  election.