North Richmond Councillor Leaves Tories For Liberal Democrats

3.50.03pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 29th Sep 2004

Marc Cranfield-Adams, elected as a Conservative Councillor for the North Richmond Ward in May 2002 has resigned from the Conservative Party and joined the Liberal Democrats. He has applied to join the Liberal Democrat group on Richmond Council and subject to internal procedures will be expecting to join very soon.

Cllr Cranfield-Adams made his decision to leave the Tories over the August Bank Holiday weekend. He first joined the Conservative Party in 1978 as a teenager and has been a member for nearly 30 years.

"I leave the Tories out of sorrow more than anger. I have grown continually disillusioned with the Party nationally. Three leaders after the catastrophic defeat of 1997 and there is still no clear sense of direction or policy. The Tories look tired and out of date. They generate no interest for the broad swathe of the electorate and certainly have nothing to offer a younger generation. I have found the right wing drift under Michael Howard hugely unappealing. The Tory Party used to be a broad church, but no longer. I think it is a party in terminal decline.

"When I look at Liberal Democrats in comparison, I see a party committed to freedom, fairness and trust; a party which believes as I do with the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community; and, a party with plenty of ideas, energy and enthusiasm.

"The catalyst for me to leave, however, has been the ill feeling shown toward me by Cllr Tony Arbour and the small clique of Twickenham Councillors with which he has surrounded himself. There is no point remaining part of a group where there is so much bitterness and division. Although some of my colleagues such as Nick True, Geoffrey Samuel, Doug Orchard, Tony Tresigne and Annie Hambidge have been generous in their support, I decided that given my general disillusion I would be better off leaving.

"The Tory Party has been my political home for nearly 30 years and has been a cornerstone of my social life. The decision to leave has been hugely difficult, but now that it has been done I feel a weight off my shoulders. I know that many friendships made over the years will endure regardless of my decision. That is the test of real friendship.

"I have been made to feel very welcome my the Liberal Democrats locally. I am looking forward to working with Susan Kramer to ensure that she successfully succeeds Jenny Tonge, who has been one of the hardest working constituency MPs I have met. I am also delighted to have met Suzette Nicholson the candidate for the Hampton by-election and I am confident that when elected she will make a great Councillor.

"The future looks good for the Liberal Democrats and I am delighted to be a part of their campaign to win back Richmond Council in 2006."