Tory councillor back in seat after suspension
A CONSERVATIVE councillor has escaped without any further action against him after being suspended over a “gutter politics” online attack.
Liam Bones was suspended by North Tyneside Council’s Conservative group last month after labelling Jim Allan the borough’s “laziest Labour councillor” as he was forced to vacate his seat due to illness.
Mr Allan, the former deputy mayor, had to give up his Camperdown ward, having been absent from council meetings for more than six months, but a website run by Coun Bones claimed the 71-year-old “didn’t think it was necessary to attend the meetings he was being paid to go to”.
But it has now been confirmed that the Preston ward representative has been reinstated by the Tory group following an investigation into his conduct. Opposition party leader George Westwater said: “I can confirm that the temporary suspension of Coun Bones has now ended, and no further disciplinary action is to be taken.”
Former councillor Sean Brockbank, chairman of North Tyneside Conservatives, said Coun Bones “acted within the rules of the group”. He added: “I am pleased to see him reinstated to his position in the Group and I hope we can all now get on with the real job of holding Labour in our area to account.”
A by-election to fill Mr Allan’s former seat is being held today. He was forced to leave the council due to being “severely unwell” as he suffers with giant cell arteritis, while also battling mental health issues and coping with the serious illness of a family member. But the Tory-run North Tyneside Gazette website, which claims on its Facebook page to be a local news outlet, carried an article entitled “Voters to go to polls after ‘Laziest Labour Councillor’ kicked out”. It claimed Mr Allan “received over £150,000 in allowances – but didn’t think it was necessary to attend the meetings he was being paid to go to”. The allegation sparked outrage among the borough’s Labour politicians, with deputy mayor Carl Johnson accusing the Tories of “gutter politics”.