Terry Hipsey defected to Labour over a proposed Tory-BNP pact

By Micheal Casey

A proposed BNP/Tory “pact” was the tipping point for Thurrock Tory Leader Terry Hipsey defecting to Labour.

In a filmed interview with yourthurrock.com, Councillor Hipsey alleges that Tories openly discussed “not standing in wards to let the BNP win, Labour lose and so (the Tories) retaining control of the council”.

A week later, Hipsey made an impassioned “Back me or sack me” speech at a Council Meeting.

But the pressure of leading a party “rife with extremists” plus a plea to David Cameron “falling on deaf ears” led Councillor Hipsey to cross the floor.

A document purporting to be minutes of the Group Meeting details the discussion with some Tories warning that they could be thrown out of the party.

Thurrock Tory Leaders have slammed the minutes as “wrong” and claim they have the real minutes but on film, Tory Councillor Barry Johnson refused to produce them.

Since Hipsey’s departure, the BNP have held the balance of power in Thurrock with Nick Griffin launching the BNP Euro Election campaign on Thurrock Council premises.