West Northamptonshire Council: Would-be leader suspended by Tory Party

Ian McCord, centre, and the Conservatives celebrated winning control of West Northamptonshire Council at the Silverstone Circuit, where the votes were declared, on Friday

A senior Conservative who ran to be leader of a newly-created council says his suspension amid allegations of bullying is "despicable".

Ian McCord had hoped to be named leader of the Tory group on West Northamptonshire Council on Wednesday.

South Northamptonshire Conservatives confirmed he had been suspended "following a number of allegations".

Mr McCord said the suspension had been implemented to rule him out of the leadership race.

The Tories won an overwhelming majority of seats for the new unitary council in last week's local elections.

Ian McCord had hoped to be named leader of the West Northamptonshire Conservative group - and ultimately the new unitary authority

West Northamptonshire Council is one of two unitary councils formed following the financial collapse of Northamptonshire County Council, which was described by Kettering's Conservative MP Philip Hollobone as the "worst-run" authority in the country.

Elections were due to take place for the two new councils in 2020, but they were postponed until last week due to the pandemic.

While waiting for that, Mr McCord continued serving as leader of the shadow West Northamptonshire Council and he is also a former leader of the now-defunct South Northamptonshire Borough Council.

At a meeting on Wednesday evening, former leader of Northampton Borough Council, Jonathan Nunn, was selected as the new leader for the West Northamptonshire group.

He will still have to be voted in as council leader.

Mr McCord, who represents Deanshanger ward, remained on the ballot and came second despite his suspension.

Northamptonshire County Council and the area's borough and district councils were scrapped to make way for the West and North Northamptonshire unitary authorities

South Northamptonshire Conservative Association's chairwoman, Pinder Chauhan, confirmed the suspension.

"This is an internal party matter following a number of allegations which the association is investigating," she said.

A senior Conservative source told the BBC Mr McCord's suspension related to allegations of bullying, intimidation and not adhering to standards expected of public office holders.

They said: "This shows the party will not hesitate to act on such allegations, whatever the seniority of the person involved.

"These are extremely serious allegations and need to be thoroughly investigated."

The source said it was a coincidence that Mr McCord's suspension happened at the same time as the leadership contest.

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An "angry" Mr McCord confirmed he had received an email suspending him "pending formal expulsion proceedings".

He said: "This was a despicable attempt by some internal political opponents to cause trouble and try to advance their preferred candidate."

He accused opponents within the party of engaging in "student politics" and orchestrating a move which had "all the political calculations of a woodworm found dead in a brick".

"This is the same old toxic, corrosive politics that reduced Northamptonshire County Council to dust, being brought in in an attempt to strangle West Northants Council at birth," he added.

Mr McCord denied having ever been involved in bullying or intimidation.