Leaked letter: Tory council leader accuses Cameron of placing party in “impossible position”

A leaked letter from a Tory council leader has accused David Cameron of placing local government Tories in an “impossible position”, says there are “being controlled at every turn” and claims that whole branches of the local Tory Party have been lost during Cameron’s leadership. Here’s the full letter:

Dear Prime Minister,

As Leader of Guildford Borough Council, I head a Group of 34 committed Conservatives, who feel that we are being placed in an impossible electoral position through your Government’s policies. We are being controlled at every turn: through the cap on Council tax; the anticipated erosion of the Settlement Grant forcing a position to build an excessive number of new homes, even on our Green Belt, in order to gain the New Homes Bonus; we are being told that we will not be eligible for LEP funding unless we over deliver on housing; we are being instructed how to conduct our voting in Council meetings; and, worst of all, we are being placed in a position over the Green Belt that will jeopardise the seat of our MP, Anne Milton, and almost certainly see our Council go out of Conservative control for the first time in 12 years.

We have lost many Conservative Party members – indeed whole branches of the local Association – due to various Government policies and UKIP won over 20% of the vote in the local elections last year in Surrey. Immigration, the EU and gay marriage are frequently given as reasons for this.

We understand the need to build more homes and we are prepared to take difficult decisions in order to achieve this, but you have largely removed our ability to choose how we accomplish this task and keep our electorate on side. I have met with Nick Boles to discuss our Local Plan and with Robert Goodwill to discuss our acute traffic congestion and I have little confidence that anything truly constructive will emerge as a result.

We are normally a very positive forward looking council with a vibrant local economy, where Surrey contributes more to the Treasury than anywhere apart from London, but that now is being curtailed by the lack of infrastructure funding. I realise that you are unlikely to visit us, as you turned down the invitation by Surrey Leaders last year, so from a distance I urge you, indeed implore you, to have a deep re-think before this situation becomes irreversible.

Yours faithfully,

SDWM

Copy to:

Anne Milton MP
The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP
Jonathan Lord MP
Sir Paul Beresford MP
Councillor David Hodge, Leader SCC”

Kind regards,

Stephen

Stephen Mansbridge
Leader
Guildford Borough Council