Neil Wilby Media

A usually impeccable Civic Centre source has reported that three Conservative councillors sitting on Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council have been suspended by their Party after attending Gaza/Palestinian protests in defiance of Party policy.

One of the three councillors, at the time the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group on Oldham Council, was also seen with a Palestinian flag wrapped around his hand and wrist at a Full Council meeting on 1st November.

All three councillors, whose names are known to Neil Wilby Media, have been contacted for confirmation and/or comment. As has the councillor who is alleged to have formally reported his colleagues.

The Leader of the Conservative Group, Cllr Graham Sheldon (pictured above, standing), has been asked to provide a statement in order to avoid further unhelpful speculation. 

The press office at Conservative Party HQ has also been asked to provide a statement.

Oldham Conservatives are the official Opposition Party on Oldham Council with eleven councillors (including those allegedly suspended). Shading the Liberal Democrats who have ten. The Labour Party hold thirty-two seats out of sixty, giving them a slim majority which, prior to these latest developments, they were widely expected to lose at the local elections next May. The other seven seats on the Council are held by independents.

UPDATE: Within an hour of this article being published the names of the three councillors have been broadcast on social media by the prospective MP for Oldham West and Royton, Raja Miah, whose closest political ally is a Conservative, Cllr Lewis Quigg (pictured above left).

A highly controversial figure,  Cllr Quigg is presently the subject of a raft of Standards complaints against him. But has, so far, evaded suspension by his Party, despite the serious allegations filed with the Council’s Monitoring Officer.

Follow Neil Wilby on Twitter (here) and Neil Wilby Media on Facebook (here) for signposts to any updates.

Page last updated: Thursday 23rd September, 2023 at 09h45

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