Tory rebel 'considered joining the Lib Dems'
A county councillor who quit the Tory party had discussions about joining their Liberal Democrat opponents before he resigned.
On Friday, Councillor Rob Fraser informed Leicestershire County Council Conservative party officials he was resigning from the party.
The long-serving Tory told the Leicester Mercury that he was upset at how the party leadership was handling the issue of former council leader David Parsons' expenses.
Coun Parsons resigned after the council's standards committee found he breached the councillors' code of conduct by not promptly reimbursing the authority with cash he claimed for European trips.
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Coun Fraser has announced he intends to fight the May council election as an independent candidate for the Groby and Ratby seat he has held for 20 years.
County Hall's Liberal Democrat leader, Simon Galton, said Coun Fraser had approached his party before ditching the Tories.
He said: "There was never a formal approach but there were corridor conversations where the possibility (of Coun Fraser becoming a Liberal Democrat) were discussed."
Coun Fraser admitted he had been in contact with Liberal Democrat councillors before his resignation from the Tory party.
But he said: "I would never cross the floor and join the Liberals as I disagree strongly with them on Europe.
"There were conversations in corridors but that happens all the time."
Comments
by fredsmith
Wednesday, October 03 2012, 10:36AM
“Or in other words the Liberals wouldn't have him because of his previous racist outbursts!”