Senior Tories quit after suspension row

TWO senior Conservatives have resigned from the Tory group on Plymouth City Council after being suspended over comments in a press release.

New leader Nick Kelly started disciplinary action against former leader Ian Bowyer and Tony Carson after they called for a cut in the speed limit on the A38 in Plymouth.

The councillors resigned from the group in protest on Friday and said they refused to be stopped from speaking out on behalf of residents.

The press release issued by Cllr Bowyer in late September raised concerns about safety and congestion and included quotes from both councillors.

But it was not authorised by the leadership and the call for a cut in the 70mph speed limit went against the views of the group.

Both councillors resigned on Friday in protest at the disciplinary action taken against them and issued statements criticising the way the group was being run.

Cllr Bowyer, who has represented Eggbuckland since 2006, claimed there was a culture of “aggression and intimidation”.

He said his treatment was “an affront to local democracy” and he refused to be “gagged”.

Cllr Carson, who represents Peverell, said his suspension was unreasonable and he could not continue in the “controlling environment”.

Cllr Kelly, who took over from Cllr Bowyer as leader in March, issued a statement totally refuting any allegations of aggression, bullying, intimidation, or being anti-democratic.

He said the councillors’ comments on the speed limit were made without consulting the group or leadership, went against group policy and broke its rules, so after failing to respond to questions they were temporarily suspended pending an investigation.

Cllr Kelly said the Conservative group operated in an open and democratic way and he encouraged freedom of speech, wider group participation and the expression of all views.

He said the councillors’ actions had undermined the leadership and group as a whole, and added: “Cllr Bowyer has simply not accepted, even six months on, that the majority of the group no longer wanted him as leader and his actions to many sadly reflect this.”