Kent Tory councillor suspended over drink-driving

Kent County Councillor Mike Whiting was convicted of drink-driving

A councillor who was convicted of drink-driving has been suspended from the Conservative Party.

He was banned from the road for 17 months on 19 March after being caught in Sittingbourne in September.

Mike Whiting, 65, the Kent County Council (KCC) member for Sheppey, had the whip removed over a breach in the rules, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

KCC chief whip Dylan Jeffrey said he broke national party guidelines by failing to inform leadership he had been charged with a criminal offence before his conviction.

Mr Jeffrey said Whiting only informed himself and council leader Roger Gough after he had been convicted at Maidstone Magistrates' Court.

Mr Jeffrey said: “We checked the rules about being charged with a criminal offence and because Mike hadn’t done so, he had not followed due process and we took the decision to suspend him, effectively indefinitely.”

Whiting admitted drink driving and having no insurance.

If he applies to rejoin the party in the future, a majority of KCC Conservative group members will have to approve his application.

Whiting, who also sits as on Swale Borough Council, is now listed as an Independent on the KCC website.

He declined a Local Democracy Service request for comment on Tuesday.