War of words has begun in battle for county seat where two former Conservatives will fight it out with an ex-colleague to win over voters
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN PARTY WILL MAKE FOR AN INTRIGUING CONTEST IN DIVISION WITH INFAMOUS CROSSING
AN apparent Conservative civil war is set to play out in a Derbyshire election contest.
The fight for the Linton division in next week’s Derbyshire County Council election involves a Tory squaring up against two candidates who, until a few months ago, were Tory colleagues.
Set in one of the most rural areas of Derbyshire, in the south of the county, the Linton seat will see the divide in the local Conservative group play out in public after months of squabbles and in-fighting behind closed doors.
On the surface, this has seen South Derbyshire District Council move from Conservative control to Labour rule, but the reasons for the split – which saw six Tory councillors leave the party, one suspended and three more resign from the authority – have remained largely secret.
The county contest will see Dan Pegg, representing Labour, face off against former Tory colleague Stuart Swann and former Tory colleague, now independent, Amy Wheelton. Until December, they had all been in the same party
Conservative Pat Murray, the incumbent in the division and local political stalwart, is stepping out of politics after 14 years with the seat to gain a new representative.
Over the past few years, residents in Linton have been hit by repeated flooding and have often been effectively cut off due to the knock-on effect of having to close the infamous Walton Bridge.
The bridge itself causes an array of issues due to HGVS breaching its weight restriction on a regular basis and causing congestion throughout the area.
Meanwhile, the area has also lost health services and residents must now travel much further for a GP after closures of the Rosliston and Overseal practices. Residents are also concerned about the state of the roads which they feel can often not represent a priority due to their isolation, with further concern that approved housing developments will worsen this.
‘I will work for community’
Stuart Swann is currently the county councillor for the Swadlincote South division and has been shifted across by his party to stand in Linton.
Asked about the apparent civil war playing out in the seat, the Church Gresley resident and former district councillor of 12 years, said: “I think it is very odd that both of the other candidates were Conservatives until relatively recently, they were of course elected as part of the same team.
“I have not been involved but it seems they (the district council Conservatives) have spent the last two years bickering and squabbling.
“Personal, petty stuff rather than anything political. However, I do believe there is an investigation being carried out.
“Dan Pegg has been part of three political parties in four months. Do his principles change so easily? He’s been to more parties than Rita Ora this year.” [Rita Ora is a pop star who was at the centre of two controversial Covid-19 lockdown breaches last year. In November, she flew back to the UK from Egypt after a private performance and did not self-isolate for two weeks as required, instead she threw an unlawful birthday party at a restaurant in London.]
Cllr Swann continued: “I will work with colleagues and with the officers at the county to deliver benefits for the local communities. I think the actions of the other two candidates over the last two years proves that they cannot or will not do that.”
He says his three key priorities for the Linton division would be:
■ Getting the roads in a good state, including wholesale resurfacing
■ Protect local green spaces and the environment, including cracking down on litter and fly-tipping
■ Protecting local amenities such as pubs, post offices, health facilities and providing services for young people
‘A David v Goliath contest’
Amy Wheelton, a Walton farmer who is also the district councillor for the Seales Ward, was suspended from the Conservative Party in December for undisclosed reasons. An investigation is ongoing.
Cllr Wheelton sits on the council as an independent and is running as an independent in the county election.
She said: “I have felt much better able to represent the interests of the residents of Linton division by being an independent, I have never had so much fun.
“Being free of any party affiliation I have been able to really focus pragmatically on local issues without having half an eye on party political lines, which have just got no relevance at a local level.
“Party politics are just not needed. I put residents first and I am not bound by the straitjacket of party politics.
“This is a David and Goliath contest. It is me against the two main parties. I am the underdog.”
Asked about Cllr Swann’s comments, Cllr Wheelton did not wish to comment, but said: “That is for Mr Swann to say as he wants, he works in the Conservative Party office and that is his choice.
“They are called local elections for a reason, because it should be about working for the residents and local issues. I live in the area and Mr Swann does not.”
Cllr Wheelton says the three priorities raised by residents for the Linton division are:
■ Potholes and the wider state of the roles
■ Concerns over infrastructure including lack of health services, safety issues at the Rosliston Crossroads and the impact of new developments
■ Bus services and connectivity including issues linked to the Walton Bridge
‘I am doing this for Linton’
Linton resident Dan Pegg is a former PE teacher at Stanton Primary School, district councillor for Linton and a father of six.
He left the Conservative group in December to join a new group of independents, before joining the Labour Party, for whom he had been a loyal supporter through the Tony Blair years.
Cllr Pegg said: “I lost faith in my blue rosette probably over a year ago. There were disagreements about what people’s real reasons for being councillors are.
“My issue is that the Conservatives in the district council at the moment are in it for status for themselves rather than for the people who have elected them to be there.
“I am lucky that people have voted for me as a person and not as a col
our (of party), whereas in other wards people vote for a party.
“It is quite an awkward and strange position and you have got to be professional. It is a case of ‘bring it on.’
“It is strange going up against people who you were on the same team with but they are now opposition.
“They are in the past and it is a fresh start for me. If it upsets them then it is not my problem. I am doing this for Linton, not for myself.
“I am not feeling upset about going up against a blue rosette and former blue rosette, I think it is time for a bit of red in Linton.
“I think a lot of the Conservatives are focussing on a future career with a view to becoming an MP.
“If every party had said no to me as being a candidate and I had no party to go to, I would have stood as an independent.
“Stuart can say what he wants about me, he is a Conservative and will do what it takes to win.
“There was no support within the Conservative group for me and I had been keeping my head down and needed to get out and go to a safe place.
“It was having such a negative impact on me, mental health wise, that it made me ill.
“If they think that leaving the party and joining another will make me unpopular then they’ll find out on election day.”
Cllr Pegg said the main three priorities for the Linton division are:
■ Road safety including speeding and child road safety awareness including 20mph zones and level crossings – Not just pothole repairs
■ Investing in services and community projects for young people
■ Supporting local businesses such as pubs and post offices and to lobby on their behalf
The county council election will take place on Thursday, May 6 with all 64 seats across 61 divisions up for grabs. Postal votes can also be made before that date, for residents who have reg- istered for them. The results of the election will be announced on Friday, May 7