Labour councillor defends election video

Milly Hill was elected as a Stroud District councillor for Labour on 4 May

A Stroud Labour councillor has defended appearing in a video saying she is a former Conservative voter who has switched to Labour, without mentioning her new political role.

Councillor Milly Hill was elected to serve the ward of Cam East during the local elections at the start of May.

The video, published on social media, does not mention she is now a Labour councillor.

Siobhan Baillie, the Conservative candidate for Stroud, said "a place on the stage" awaits Ms Hill, although Labour maintain she did vote Conservative up until 2019.

Labour also told the BBC that the video was recorded before Ms Hill was elected as a Labour councillor.

The video was posted on X by Dr Simon Opher, the Labour parliamentary candidate for Stroud.

In it Councillor Milly Hill is portrayed as 'Milly, Former Conservative Voter in Stroud'.

She said, "I've been a centrist Conservative all my life but I think part has really changed and I think the past 14 years have done real damage to the country."

She finishes the video by saying: "For the first time in a really long time I'm optimistic and excited to vote in a general election."

'Made video in April'

A Labour spokesperson told the BBC that Ms Hill was a lifelong Tory voter until 2019.

They said she recently joined the party to support Dr Simon Opher as the Stroud candidate.

Dr Simon Opher added that Ms Hill is exactly the type of person they need in the Labour party.

He added: "While she had been a lifelong Conservative supporter, she was appalled by the antics of the Johnson government and its failure to deliver for people across the Stroud district."

Cllr Hill said: "I had voted Conservative for years, but can no longer do so. They've failed Stroud district voters for so long.

"I made the video in April before deciding to stand as a district councillor, and was surprised and delighted to be elected just four weeks ago."

'A place on the stage'

The Stroud candidate for the Conservative Party Siobhan Baillie said Ms Hill deserved credit for her "straight face" in the video.

"It’s glorious that a Labour councillor was suddenly a Conservative all these years. Did her colleagues know?

"I am not sure many people are going to be taking this video or Labour endorsements too seriously now though." Ms Baillie added.

The candidate, elected as Stroud's MP in 2019, added "a place on the stage awaits" Ms Hill.

Other candidates who have declared their intention to stand in the Stroud constituency include:

George James - Liberal Democrat

Pete Kennedy - Green Party

Christopher Lester - Reform UK

The full list of candidates will be available online once nominations close on 7 June.