Chester Tory councillor defects to UKIP

Apr 1 2011 By Anthony White, Chester Chronicle

A CHESTER councillor has switched parties ahead of May's local elections.

Cllr Richard Lowe, who represents City ward on Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC), has left the Conservative Party to join the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

He announced his decision on his internet blog page and also via Facebook and Twitter.

Cllr Lowe also revealed that he was reversing his decision not to stand in the CWaC elections on May 5 and that instead he would be putting himself forward for the newly-created Garden Quarter seat, which covers part of his current ward, on behalf of his new party.

He said in his blog entry: "I’m not joining UKIP just because I’m a disillusioned Tory. I’m joining UKIP because their policies are so much more in tune with my own."

For the full story, read this Thursday's Chronicle.