Councillor Kathleen Nickson to remain as an independent

Councillor Kathleen Nickson

Former Liberal Democrat councillor, Kathleen Nickson, has announced she will remain as an independent councillor.

In July, it was announced that Councillor Nickson – who represents Balderstone and Kirkholt – intended to join the Brexit Party, just six months after defecting to the Liberal Democrats from Labour.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/129022/lib-dem-councillor-quits-to-join-brexit-party

In a statement to Rochdale Online on Thursday (22 August), Councillor Nickson outlined her intentions to remain as an independent councillor.

She said: “As a member of Rochdale Council for several years, I left the local Labour Party and the reasons for that are already documented. I joined the Lib Dems and that proved, also, to be the wrong thing for me because of the national policy on Brexit and I became an independent.

“I was approached by the Brexit Party to join them and agreed to apply. However, after a lot of soul searching, I have decided to remain an independent councillor.

“I will continue to serve my constituents, in the best way that I can, as always.”

Councillor Nickson left Labour in January claiming she was being ‘blocked from doing her job’ – while group leader Allen Brett said her relationship with the party had become ‘untenable’.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/125668/labour-councillor-joins-liberal-democrats

She was first elected in 2014 and was re-elected with 52% of the vote in May 2018.

The Brexit Party refused to comment.