Ex-Tory Ealing Councillor Defects To the Lib Dems
Jonathan Oxley to contest Hanger Hill ward in May
Jonathan Oxley with Councillor Gary Malcolm outside Ealing Town Hall
A former Conservative councillor on Ealing Council has joined the Liberal Democrats and plans to represent them in the forthcoming local elections.
Jonathan Oxley sat as a Tory on the council for four years until 2010 when he represented Elthorne ward. He is going to contest the Hanger Hill ward where three of the eight Conservative councillors currently have seats including the group leader Gregory Stafford.
The Liberal Democrats will be aiming to establish themselves as the main opposition party at the elections in May with current polling suggesting there is unlikely to be a change of control in Ealing borough.
The party claims that the Hanger Hill area has been neglected by both the current Tory Councillors as well as Ealing Council, resulting in dirty streets, poor transport links and a lack of feeling of security.
Jonathan Oxley said, “I’m really excited to join the Liberal Democrats team in Ealing. Our communities and country desperately need the decency that characterises the Liberal Democrats. The Conservative Party is no longer the ‘One Nation’ party of which I was once a Councillor. The Tories have been captured by a narrow sect of right wingers and led by a Prime Minister devoid of integrity. It's time to turf them out before they do any more damage to the country we love.”
He has previously supported a greater role for Area Committees and said they should be allocated more resources.
Ealing Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Gary Malcolm said: “From the thousands of doors we have knocked on the Liberal Democrats have seen that people feel that both the Labour-run Ealing Council are not providing a safe and clean environment and that Boris Johnson’s Tory government is not getting a grip on things which has led to massive increases in gas and electricity prices, as well as supermarket shops are now much higher. Only the Liberal Democrats are listening to residents and will provide them good local services.”
The Ealing Conservatives have been approached for comment.
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February 4, 2022