In a sensational move this evening, Councillor Will Markham (Bedworth Heath) has crossed the floor at today’s Full Council meeting and joined the Nuneaton & Bedworth Conservative Group. Since Labour re-took control of Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council in May, Bedworth residents have been shafted. Notably, squandering taxpayers’ money on the Stockingford based Council Leader’s Town Hall office and refusing to defend the Bedworth Woodlands at a recent Planning Inspectorate appeal hearing.
Councillor Markham’s defection to the Conservatives comes following months of frustrated residents who have demonstrated anger at Bedworth’s new Labour Member of Parliament, Rachel Taylor MP, who voted to strip Bedworth pensioners of their Winter Fuel Allowance and voted in favour of Keir Starmer’s changes to Agricultural Property Relief which has screwed over local Warwickshire farmers, a number of which are from Bedworth.
In welcoming Councillor Markham to the Conservative Group, Councillor Kris Wilson, Leader of the Conservative Group said “I’m delighted to welcome Will to the Conservative Group. I know this won’t have been an easy decision for him but, like many residents in Bedworth and beyond, he cannot stand the chaos and confusion from Labour both locally and nationally have caused. He has put Bedworth and his residents first, recognising that it is only with the local Conservative team that we can stand up together for Bedworth.”
Commenting following his defection, Councillor Will Markham said “The reason I have crossed the floor is the way certain Labour members are running the council. They are acting in their own interests rather than considering the residents. I have been ostracised by some of the group for speaking out. I feel I am unable to represent my residents, because I don’t have the freedom to vote other than a whipped vote on such things as the Bulkington lights, the increase in allowances for councillors and the Bedworth councillors are being left out on a limb, some even being told they can’t represent their residents at a planning meeting. The Conservatives did an excellent job over the last three years getting regeneration money into Bedworth and I know I will get more support from the Conservatives to represent my residents”.
