Two ex-Labour councillors – including former deputy leader – join Conservative party

West Heywood councillors Jacqui Beswick and Alan McCarthy have joined the Conservative Party.

The pair left Labour in 2019 with Councillor Beswick opting to sit as an independent after falling out with the party at local and national level.

The one-time deputy leader accused the party of doing nothing about ‘false allegations’ made about her – leaving her no option but to resign the whip.

Meanwhile, her partner Councillor McCarthy joined The Brexit Party – for whom he unsuccessfully fought Bury North at the 2019 general election – before more recently being listed as an independent.
 

Read more: Heywood councillors leave Labour Party for independence and Brexit PartyPublished: 04 July 2019

They follow in the footsteps of former Labour councillor Kath Nickson who defected to the Tories last year – albeit via the Lib Dems, Brexit Party and a stint as an independent.

It is understood Councillors Beswick and McCarthy formally notified the council of their intention to join the Tory group this week – and are now officially recognised as Conservative members, increasing the number of Conservatives on Rochdale Council to 12 members.

Rochdale’s Conservative group leader Ashley Dearnley said he was thrilled to have the pair on board.

“I’m very happy indeed,” he said.

“They joined the Conservative Party some time back and we are delighted they want to be part of the group.

“We have always worked well with them. Jacqui was very realistic about things and wanted to work together when she was a member of the Labour party and deputy leader of the council at the time.

“We look forward to continuing to work together and feel very pleased they have decided to join us. It’s an honour to have them with us.”

Councillor Dearnley added that he expected the new additions would settle in as well as Councillor Nickson had.

He said: “We really enjoyed the fact Kath joined us, and I think she has found it’s much more welcoming within our group.

“We work together with a united front – opposing when we should and supporting when we should – and putting forward a positive message for the borough.”

Councillor Beswick told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she was ‘looking forward’ to working with the Tory group but did not wish to comment further.

Councillor McCarthy declined to comment.

Relations between Councillor Beswick and Rochdale’s Labour group were further soured last year when she was called ‘a bitch’ during a virtual full council meeting last year.

Mics picked up the comment during a You Tube broadcast.

Labour councillor Sue Emmott apologised for the ‘derogatory comment’ at a full council meeting in December last year. Councillor Beswick has accepted the apology.
 

Read more: Fury as councillor called ‘bitch’ during vote at virtual council meetingPublished: 17 July 2020

Rochdale local authority area is represented by 60 councillors.

The political make up is now as follows:

Labour – 45
Conservative – 12
Liberal Democrat – 3