A Horwich councillor and leader of a hyper-local party has defected to the Conservatives. Marie Brady, who represents Horwich North East on Bolton Council, was a founder and leader of Horwich and Blackrod First Independents, who have three members.
She has crossed the floor and joined the Tories following an explosive row between one of her party colleagues, Coun David Grant and the Conservative leadership, over Bolton Council’s expression of interest in bidding to have the Great British Railways headquarters in Bolton town centre. Her former colleagues believed the bid should have centred on Horwich at the former loco works site.
Coun Brady, said: “As a founder member and leader of Horwich and Blackrod First Independents, I am sad to say that I have taken the difficult decision to leave the party. With a party of Independents, each wanting to do their the best for Horwich and Blackrod, how we achieved that, inevitably led to a difference of opinions.
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“For independents and minor groups, working alongside and with other political groups, to create mutually beneficial relationships and positive outcomes, is the only means of achieving those. Those relationships were torn apart by the decision to vilify the submission of an expression of interest that met the criteria, in favour of one that did not, and to discredit and scorn the officers who wrote the bid. I could not support those actions.
“By joining the Conservative group, I will continue to represent my ward, Horwich North East, to the best of my ability. I also look forward to working with the Conservative group to bring much needed and long overdue improvements to Horwich North East and Bolton.”
Her decision to defect came a day after Coun Grant angrily tore up a copy of the council’s bid to bring Great British Railways HQ to Bolton in the council chamber in front of council leader Martyn Cox.
Coun Cox welcomed Coun Brady, into his group. He said: “Coun Brady has been a constructive and strong advocate for Horwich and will be a huge asset to the Bolton Conservative Group.
“I’ve always enjoyed a very good relationship with her. She is an enthusiastic and passionate champion for Horwich and shown a willingness to act in the greater good of the whole borough. I’m delighted to have her as part of our Conservative team.”
The move means that Horwich and Blackrod First have two councillors, David Grant and Peter Wright. Their party has a working agreement with the minority controlling Conservative group to keep them in power.
However, that support effectively ended when both councillors voted against the Conservative proposed budget at a meeting last month.
A statement from Horwich and Blackrod First Independents, said: “We have received the resignation of our party leader Marie Brady who has taken the decision to join the Conservative Party. Over recent weeks it has become clear that her political position was far more in line with the Conservative group.
“This is a conflict with our independence that we assured the people of Horwich and Blackrod when we formed. Coun Brady is a founding member of our group and we will be eternally grateful for her hard work and commitment over the years.”
