Stratford councillor who defected to Reform rejects calls for by-election- accusing former colleagues of “blatant sexism”
THE acting leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s Conservatives has joined calls for his predecessor to hold a by-election following her switch to Reform.
However, Cllr Sarah Whalley-Hoggins (Reform, Brailes & Compton), who was leader of the Tory opposition at Elizabeth House prior to last week’s bombshell defection, confirmed she would not be standing down to seek re-election and hit back by accusing her former colleagues of “blatant sexism”.
Former deputy group leader Councillor Malcolm Littlewood (Con, Tysoe) takes the top job in the short term, describing his “capable” former colleague’s move as “somewhat of a surprise” and “a disappointment to say the least”.
In the wake of the defection, Stratford-on-Avon Conservatives, promoted by Warwickshire county and Rugby borough councillor Jill Simpson-Vince, launched an online petition.
A Facebook post argues that residents in Cllr Whalley-Hoggins’ ward now have “something very different” to what they voted for.
“If councillors feel strongly enough to defect they should have the moral courage to face the electorate,” it reads. “Sign our petition today to call on them to resign immediately!”
Those who follow the link are asked two yes-no questions – whether “the councillor for Brailes & Compton” should resign and trigger a by-election and whether defections should automatically trigger by-elections.
Signatories are required to leave contact details but the current state of play does not pop up once votes are cast.
Asked for his view, Cllr Littlewood told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The electorate voted Sarah in as a Conservative. She is no longer a Conservative and it is up to the electorate to make that decision.
“My personal thoughts are that one should always act with integrity. Anyone’s electorate votes on the platform that you gave, if you change your belief and platform then it would be honourable to go back to the electorate and ask the question again.”
Asked whether he expects her to do that, he replied: “That is for her to decide.”
He also insisted the defection would “make no difference to the group” and that the Conservatives would continue to “work for the community whether they voted for us or not, as we have been doing to date.”
He politely declined to comment on whether he had been aware of Cllr Whalley-Hoggins’ intentions prior to the announcement but confirmed they had not spoken since.
“Sarah has to make her decisions and she did so,” he added. “We respect that but while continuing to fight every seat at every opportunity.”
Cllr Whalley-Hoggins confirmed she intends to see out her term, even if it is extended to accommodate the end of district and borough councils as plans for unitary councils develop.
She argued that fellow district councillor Trevor Harvey (Tredington) had not endured the same backlash when he left the Conservatives, continuing as an independent.
“I haven’t been surprised at how angry the Conservatives are about this,” she said.
“There was none of this hoo-ha then and the only difference is that he is male and I am female.
“I have been quite vociferous in the past about equality across the Conservatives but to do what they are doing, inciting this against a woman when they didn’t do this against a man, I think speaks volumes.
“Everyone needs to remember that I am a capable, well-regarded councillor. Some people will have voted for me not because of my politics but because of my capabilities and my understanding of the issues in my ward.
“Why take this stance against a woman when you let a man resign without a ripple in the pond?”
Put to Cllr Whalley-Hoggins that there was a difference between leaving a party and joining a party that poses a significant challenge at an upcoming election, she responded: “I don’t think that is the case at all.
“I think it is because it is me. I have been a very strong voice for women’s rights.”
