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Councillor quits the Alliance
A COUNCILLOR has quit the Independent Alliance after a rift with colleagues over the running of the group.
Coun Tom Defty has told the Gazette that he left because the group was, he claimed, being run "as a political party".
But Coun Ahmed Khan, secretary of the group, refuted the allegation, and said: "He's no big loss."
Bede councillor Defty made the decision to quit the group last week, and will now be the only completely unaffiliated member of the council.
He claimed: "In my opinion, the Alliance is more like a political party than even the local Labour party.
"There are also signs of power struggles within the group.
"I want to be a great representative for the people of Bede, and that's more difficult to do with party policies behind me, so that's why I've left."
However, he said he wouldn't be joining breakaway independent group the Real Independents.
"For the moment I'm completely independent, no affiliation to any group or party at all."
But Coun Khan said: "He was a back-seat member of the Alliance, so I doubt many people will notice he's gone. He's done us all a favour.
"Comparing us to the Labour party is a nonsense. We're not a party, and any attempts to make us into one are swiftly quashed.
"All we've tried to do is create a structure to what we do, and all decisions are made by consensus, not a vote."
Leader of the Alliance, Coun Jane Branley added: "Everyone's got to find an excuse to leave a political party, and it seems that Coun Defty has found his.
"We've never been a party. We've been organised in the same way right from the start.
"Despite Coun Defty giving these reasons for leaving the group, he can return at any time."
The Alliance was formed in late 2005, as a grouping of like-minded councillors and supporters to oppose Labour.
Last year, councillors Terry Haram and George Elsom split from the group to start the Real Independents, and earlier this year the Progressive party distanced themselves from the Alliance.
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Weather for South Shields
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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