A KEY player in Herefordshire’s newest political party has today defected to the Tories.
Councillor Justin Lavender said his former party It’s Our County offers few practical solutions to the county’s problems and includes members with “extreme” views.
He now plans to contest May’s local elections for the Conservatives in the St Nicholas ward.
“After much careful thought I now know that I made a mistake and that some IOC policies may not be part of the solution to Hereford’s problems,” he said.
He added that the party says what they think will be popular, not right and avoids hard choices that have to be made.
He also believed most IOC members were well-meaning but some had “extreme” views.
Coun Lavender shot to prominence last October after winning the St Nicholas ward by-election for It’s Our County.
In doing so he became the first member to have been elected onto Herefordshire Council under the party’s banner.
The election came about following the death of former ward councillor David Benjamin.
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