Former Tory councillor makes switch to Lib Dems

A FORMER Conservative councillor has switched to the Liberal Democrats and added his backing to their candidate for the Wokingham seat in the forthcoming general election.

Marc Brunel-Walker was the executive member on Bracknell Forest Council who helped bring The Lexicon into existence. In all, he was Conservative councillor for our neighbouring local authority for 20 years, before stepping down at last May’s local elections.

He said he was switching parties because he had been impressed with the way in which the Lib Dems had run Wokingham since assuming power in May 2021.

“I care deeply about our community and our country and I am clear that local people will be best served by a Liberal Democrat administration and a Liberal Democrat MP,” he said in a statement.

“Local Conservatives have failed to deliver what people need and I have been impressed by what I have seen from the Lib Dem administration since they took over Wokingham Borough Council in 2022.”

With regards to the forthcoming general election, he said: “Wokingham also desperately needs an MP who works full-time for their interests, and I’m looking forward to backing Clive Jones at the next general election.”

The decision was welcomed by Cllr Stephen Conway, leader of Wokingham Borough Council.

“Marc is one of many local people who are recognising the good work we are doing for residents, and I am delighted that he has joined the Liberal Democrats,” he said.

“His considerable experience in local government is an asset to our party as we deal with the unprecedented challenges we face as a council.”

And Clive Jones, the party’s parliamentary candidate for Wokingham, said: “Wokingham Without comes into the Wokingham Constituency following changes to election boundaries and it is great that residents like Marc have told me they will be supporting me against John Redwood to be Wokingham’s next MP.

“The Conservative party since 2015 has done immense damage.

“The country and Wokingham deserve better and voters are demanding change.”

Mr Brunel-Walker is not the first Conservative to join the Lib Dems in the past year: former Wokingham Borough Council executive member Mark Ashwell made a decision to switch in July last year.

He had previously attempted to become an independent MP for Wokingham in a bid to unseat John Redwood in the 2010 general election.