Wakefield Tory councillor Ray Massey quits party over ‘bickering and infighting’

Coun Ray Massey said he had taken the decision due to constant ‘bickering and infighting’ within Wakefield Council’s Conservative group.

Coun Massey also accused the leadership of ‘blacklisting’ him from meetings over his show of support for a fellow councillor who left the party earlier this year.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “To be quite honest I have been disillusioned for a while.

“I signed up to become a councillor to help people.

“I like to think that I’ve been doing a good job at that.

“It should be about putting constituents first.

“All the infighting and bickering has worn me down.”

Coun Massey said he intends to continue to represent people in Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton ward as an independent.

His departure means the number of Tory councillors on the local authority has been cut by more than half in the past 12 months.

The Conservatives now hold just six council seats.

This time last year there were 13 Tory councillors in the district.

In November, former group leader Tony Homewood announced his decision to leave, blaming his “frustration” with the direction of the party.

Days later, former chief whip Annemarie Glover quit to sit as an independent councillor.

In January, Karl Johnson, then councillor for Wakefield South ward, resigned.

In May, the Tories failed to defend all four of their seats that were up for election, which led to the return of Coun Nadeem Ahmed as group leader.

Labour strengthened its grip on the council at the elections and now holds 49 of 63 seats.

The Liberal Democrats hold three seats.

The number of independent councillors now stands at five.

Coun Massey said: “I’m afraid Labour will be rubbing their hands at this.

“People in Wakefield deserve a decent opposition to hold them account.

“If the group can’t work together with good leadership then they are not going to be an effective opposition.

“It has made me question why some people put their names down to be district councillors in the first place.

“We should be putting residents first. We are not MPs. We should be leaving the bickering to those at Westminster and just be getting on with trying to improve the lives of local people and making things better for communities.

“For some, it’s just about power and control.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t work with those kind of tactics any longer.

“I don’t feel bitter, just very disappointed.

“I was an independent parish councillor before becoming a district councillor so I’m going back to my roots.”

Coun Massey, who is due for re-election next year, claims he was not informed of a candidate selection meeting held earlier this week.

He said he believes his relationship with the group leadership broke down after the elections over the support he showed for Mr Johnson.

Announcing his decision to leave the party earlier this year, Mr Johnson said “certain individuals” had made his role “a very difficult task”.

Coun Massey continued: “Certain things happened which I felt were amiss.

“Karl was a good friend and a really good councillor.

“Because I supported him I was effectively blacklisted.

“I want to say it’s hurtful, but I suppose it’s just a parting of the ways.”

In response, Coun Ahmed said: “At the end of the day, the reality is that there has been bickering in the past and we have got to look into how it can be resolved.

“I understand people have had reasons for leaving.

“I have no grudge or axe to grind with anybody.

“We are losing a good councillor in Ray and have lost too many good councillors already.

“My invitation to sit around the table to discuss matters so they can come back on board still stands.

“Sitting as an independent is a tough ask.

“People don’t want us to be talking about own personal issues when they need help at a time when bills and mortgages are more expensive than they ever have been.

“We need to be putting aside our differences and focusing on the bigger politics.”

Wakefield Council’s chief executive Andrew Balchin said: “We have been notified by Coun Massey, who represents the Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton ward, that he is no longer a member of the Conservative Party and is now sitting an in independent councillor, with immediate effect.”