I felt out of step - former Tory who joined Lib Dems

David Minnery joined the Conservatives following the Winter of Discontent in 1978

A man who has joined the Liberal Democrats group on the local authority he once served as a Tory has said he felt "out of step" with the Conservatives.

David Minnery served in the cabinet on Conservative-run Shropshire Council until 2021, and was deselected by the party for local elections that year.

He said he had become too critical of the Tories, voting remain in the EU referendum and disliking Boris Johnson as prime minister.

Mr Minnery announced earlier this month he would be joining the Liberal Democrats, having served as an independent councillor for Market Drayton West since 2021.

It takes the group, already the largest opposition party on Shropshire Council, to 18 councillors ahead of next year's local elections.

As portfolio holder for finance, David Minnery was in charge of buying three shopping centres in Shrewsbury in 2018 for £51m, a decision highly criticised by the Liberal Democrats group.

North Shropshire's Lib Dem MP Helen Morgan recently described the decision as "a waste of money" and "financial mismanagement".

Mr Minnery said: "I haven't spoken with her about that, but I have spoken with some of my Liberal Democrat colleagues about it.

"The intention of buying the shopping centres was to revitalise the centre of Shrewsbury and I wouldn't regret it for that reason."