Despite recent releases that have been issued to the media, Lydiard and Freshbrook Councillor, Matthew Courtliff, remains a Labour Party Member and a Labour Councillor.
Cllr Matthew Courtliff, Councillor for Lydiard and Freshbrook Ward, said:
“It has been an incredibly difficult two days; and having spent some time meeting with Conservative councillors and MPs yesterday I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in thinking that joining the Conservative Party was right; for me or my constituents. My home is in the Labour Party and I owe a huge apology to my council colleagues, fellow party members and my constituents who have watched this unfold.
“My priority now is to re-join my colleagues, work hard for my constituents in Lydiard and Freshbrook and to put this all behind me.”
Cllr Jim Grant, Leader of the Labour Group, said:
“Clearly on reflection Matthew has decided to do the right thing by his electorate who elected him as a Labour councillor only five months ago and has done the honourable thing and remained as a Labour councillor. We are proud that he has thought twice about this and made the right choice.
The priority now is for Matthew to focus on his ward, and for the Labour Group to hold the Tories to account on raising council tax through the back door by introducing parishing, closing Swindon’s libraries and introducing cuts to bus services. I know Matthew is as eager as I am to refocus on the issues that really matter in Swindon.”
