The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Independent councillor joins Tory Party in bid to ‘defend the union’
An independent member on Perth and Kinross Council has joined the Conservatives. Councillor Mike Barnacle, who represents Kinross-shire, says he is “completely against the SNP’s obsession with breaking up Britain” and believes the Tories are “the only party who can effectively defend the union”.
Mr Barnacle was first elected in Kinross-shire in 1999 as a Liberal Democrat before leaving the party over perceived lack of support to the local community.
In both 2012 and 2017, he was re-elected as an independent councillor.
He said: “Now is not the time to revisit this divisive argument on Scottish independence and we should be focusing all our efforts on rebuilding our economy and society from the awful effects of the pandemic.
“I believe that the Scottish Conservatives are the party best placed to defend our union.”
He has also welcomed the council announcement in this year’s budget to devolve some powers to Kinross-shire.
“I also find I share a common programme with my colleague Councillor Purves that we can work together for Kinross-shire,” said Mr Barnacle.
Fellow Kinross-shire Conservative councillor Callum Purves said: “Mike and I have worked closely together over the past four years on issues such as tackling overdevelopment, our environment and devolving powers locally.”
Conservative Perthshire South and Kinross-shire candidate for the Holyrood election, Liz Smith, welcomed Mr Barnacle.
She said: “Mike Barnacle is one of the most experienced and most highly regarded councillors whose first concern is always for his local constituents and our local communities.”
Jim Fairlie, SNP candidate for Perthshire South and Kinrossshire said: “This news is hardly surprising.
“Councillor Barnacle has a history of voting with the Conservative administration and makes Boris Johnson’s vision of Brexit seem tame in comparison.”
Mr Barnacle’s change of status takes the total number of Scottish Conservatives on the 40-seat council to 19.
The SNP has 13 members, Lib Dems five, Labour one and there are now two independents.