Councillor at Tommy Robinson march quits Tories

Jade Chapman, who represents Rushall-Shelfield at Walsall Council, announced her resignation on Thursday

A councillor who attended Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom march in London last weekend has resigned from the Conservative Party, claiming she was "bullied".

Jade Chapman, the representative for Rushall-Shelfield at Walsall Council, announced her resignation on Thursday.

She said a formal grievance she had submitted to the party, which alleged "bullying" from a fellow councillor, had not been acted on.

The party said it had a code of conduct and formal processes where complaints could be made privately and added this process was "rightly confidential".

Chapman said when a complaint was made against her for attending the march in London on 13 September, the party had acted on it immediately.

She said the "inconsistency" had led her to believe the party's processes were applied selectively and unfairly.

"Resigning from the Conservative Party has not been an easy decision," she said.

"In fact, it's one I had hoped I would never have to make, but recent events have made it impossible for me to continue under its banner with integrity."

She said she had recently submitted a formal grievance, which alleged the "persistent conduct" of a fellow councillor.

"My complaint outlined serious issues of bullying, exclusion, and misrepresentation, behaviours that have deeply impacted my ability to serve our community effectively and without fear," she said.

'Political weapon'

And added: "Despite the gravity of these concerns, not a single welfare check was made. No call came. No support was offered."

Chapman said she believed her presence at the Unite the Kingdom march had been used as a "political weapon" while the grievance she had raised was "quietly pushed aside".

"I cannot, in good conscience, remain part of a party that failed to support me when I needed it most and allowed an atmosphere where bullying could be swept under the rug instead of confronted head-on," she said.

Chapman will still serve as a councillor for the Rushall-Shelfield ward but as an independent member.

A spokesperson for the Conservative Party said: "The Conservative Party has an established code of conduct and formal processes where complaints can be made in confidence. This process is rightly confidential."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.