Gordon Cranney: Hartlepool council boycott over resignation U-turn

Gordon Cranney met Boris Johnson in Hartlepool four days after his court appearance

Conservative councillors in Hartlepool are boycotting all meetings until one of their party members resigns.

Gordon Cranney was re-elected to the Seaton ward on Hartlepool Borough Council on Friday, just days after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman.

On Saturday, the 41-year-old released a statement announcing his resignation but he has since withdrawn it.

Mike Young, leader of Hartlepool Conservatives, has called on him to "honour" his pledge to stand down.

Councillor Cranney admitted assault by beating when he appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court on 28 April - a week before the elections.

In his now retracted resignation statement, he said he was "genuinely sorry" for his actions and apologised "for any embarrassment I have caused the party".

He said of his change of heart: "On Saturday evening I put out a statement saying that I would hand in my resignation, unfortunately I feel this was premature and as a result I have withdrawn the statement.

"I need time to reflect on whether or not to resign, with everything that is going on in my life at this moment in time, I don't want to make one of the biggest decisions of my life in a hurry.

"I must stress that I am not taking this lightly and I deeply apologize to everyone who feels I have let them down."

'Follow our lead'

In an address to all Hartlepool councillors, Mr Young wrote: "Unfortunately, we have found ourselves in the position whereby Councillor Gordon Cranney has offered his resignation online through social media, but then gone back on that position.

"This is therefore an open letter to say that no sitting Conservative councillor will be attending the AGM of council nor any other meeting whilst Gordon Cranney remains a councillor.

"We would ask all other councillors to follow our lead and sign/support this open letter."

Following his court appearance Councillor Cranney was given a two-year community order, told to attend a violence reduction programme and ordered to pay fines totalling £180.

After his re-election on Friday he was suspended by the local Conservatives group which announced an inquiry would take place.