Are Argyll Tories in crisis after loss of councillors?

Argyll and Bute’s Conservative group has lost three councillors in as many months, through suspension, resignation and deselection.

The first shock to rock the region’s Tories came in August 2021 when the Conservative councillor for Kintyre and the Islands Alastair Redman was suspended by his party for the second time in two years.

In November 2019, two months after becoming policy lead for economic growth in the council’s administration, Councillor Redman was one of 25 members suspended from the Tory Party over claims of Islamophobic and other prejudicial social media posts. His suspension ended in May 2020.

Then, in August this year, a Conservative party spokesperson confirmed councillor Redman had once again been suspended pending investigation, but no reason for the suspension was given.

Councillor Redman told The Oban Times his suspension was an ‘internal matter’. ‘It will be dealt with in good time,’ he said. ‘I have continued to represent my constituents and work as hard as ever. My constituents need not worry. Whether I stand as a Conservative or as an Independent in the next election, I will continue to fight for my area. At local level, party politics isn’t the prime motivator of voters, I believe.’

The following month, at a full council meeting on September 30, councillor Redman stood down from the administration and his role as policy lead for business, regeneration and commercial development. Councillor Redman told The Oban Times he had voluntarily stepped down because of his suspension.

It is one of the council’s most important portfolios, overseeing huge and expensive projects. This weighty brief has now been split between councillor Sir Jamie McGrigor, as Depute Policy Lead, and councillors Robin Currie and Gary Mulvaney, as Policy Lead and Depute Lead for the Economy and Rural Growth.

Another blow soon followed for Argyll and Bute’s Conservatives. In October, Lomond North’s Conservative councillor Barbara Morgan, who had been chairperson of the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee since October 2020, resigned from Argyll and Bute Council for personal reasons with immediate effect.

Then, that same month, South Kintyre councillor Donald Kelly, who has stood as a Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party councillor for the last 20 years, was blindsided by a decision to remove him from the party with no explanation.

After submitting his application to once again represent the party in the 2022 election, he was told he cannot be considered because he is no longer a Conservative councillor.

‘I strongly believe a local councillor should put the interests of their community before party politics,’ Mr Kelly said, ‘and this is something I have done and will continue to do.’

When contacted by The Oban Times, a Scottish Conservative spokesperson would only say: ‘We don’t comment on internal party matters.’

‘I have continued to represent my constituents...’