A Conservative councillor has escaped without any further action against him after being suspended over a "gutter politics" online attack.
Liam Bones was suspended by North Tyneside Council’s Conservative group last month after labelling Jim Allan the borough’s “laziest Labour councillor” as he was forced to vacate his seat due to illness. Mr Allan, the former deputy mayor, had to give up his Camperdown ward berth having been absent from council meetings for more than six months, but a website run by Coun Bones claimed that the 71-year-old “didn't think it was necessary to attend the meetings he was being paid to go to”.
But it has now been confirmed that the Preston ward representative has been reinstated by the Tory group following an investigation into his conduct. Opposition party leader George Westwater said: “I can confirm that the temporary suspension of Coun Bones has now ended, and no further disciplinary action is to be taken.”
Read More: Tories branded 'a disgrace' after accusing councillor battling serious illness of being 'lazy'
Former councillor Sean Brockbank, who is chairman of the North Tyneside Conservatives, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Coun Bones “acted within the rules of the group”. He added: “I am pleased to see him reinstated to his position in the Group and I hope we can all now get on with the real job of holding Labour in our area to account."
A by-election to fill Mr Allan’s former seat is being held this Thursday, July 14. He was forced to leave the council due to being “severely unwell” as he suffers with giant cell arteritis, while also battling mental health issues and coping with the serious illness of another family member.
But the Tory-run North Tyneside Gazette website, which claims on its Facebook page to be a local news outlet, carried an article entitled “Voters to go to polls after ‘Laziest Labour Councillor’ kicked out”. It claimed that Mr Allan, who was first elected in 1983, “received over £150,000 in allowances - but didn't think it was necessary to attend the meetings he was being paid to go to”.
The allegation sparked outrage among the borough’s Labour politicians, with deputy mayor Carl Johnson accusing the Tories of “gutter politics” and calling the move “deceitful and dishonest”.
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