A Tory councillor’s switch to the Independent group has cost the Conservatives their majority in Cornwall Council, shaking up local politics.
Cornwall: The Conservatives just lost their grip on Cornwall Council. A Tory councillor, Mike McLening, decided to join the Independents. This change means the Tories now have 43 councillors, while the opposition has 44.
McLening, who’s been representing St Stephen-in-Brannel for eight years, said it was time for a “divorce.” He feels he can better serve his constituents as an Independent. He’s been a lifelong Conservative but isn’t happy with the party’s direction lately.
He mentioned that many Conservative voters have reached out, saying they’d support him if he switched to being Independent. He wants to focus on local issues and be available for his community around the clock.
McLening has no hard feelings towards the council leader, Linda Taylor. He emphasized that this move is about his constituents, not the council’s administration. He even discussed the potential impact of his defection on the upcoming budget vote.
With this shift, the council’s makeup has changed. The Conservatives and their aligned group now have 43 members, while Independents have 16, and other parties like the Liberal Democrats and Labour have smaller numbers.
This isn’t the first time the Tories have lost their majority. They briefly lost it last year but regained it when an Independent councillor joined them. Now, with elections coming up on May 1, it’ll be interesting to see how this affects committee arrangements.
