Suspended Tory threatens to sue his own party

A councillor who was suspended by the Conservatives is threatening legal action against his own party.

Adam Kent, Worcestershire County Council's deputy leader, has instructed libel lawyers to act on his behalf, over remarks made by the party's chairman Kevin Hollinrake.

Kent said the remarks, made as the national party suspended him in a row over his move to form a coalition with the local Green group, were "false, defamatory and wholly inaccurate".

A spokesman for Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) said they were unable to comment.

Kent's plan also involved Conservative councillors teaming up with the Liberal Democrats and independents, to topple the authority's Reform leadership.

Following the move, CCHQ said it did not approve of the deal, leading to remarks by Hollinrake on X criticising Kent.

Kent is not permitted to comment on his suspension, but is known to have a different version of events to the Tories nationally, and has since criticised its leadership for "interfering" in local politics.

Kent said: "I've been suspended by the Conservative Party, pending an investigation that I've been asked by the party not to comment upon.

"The party have been keen to stress that my suspension does not imply any assumption of wrongdoing and is merely a neutral and precautionary step.

"Unfortunately, contrary to the party's procedures, a letter has been sent by the chairman of the Conservative Party to the entire Conservative membership, as well as posted by him on social media, which has been disseminated and shared widely.

"What he has said about me is false, defamatory and wholly inaccurate - and the matter is now with my lawyers."

When Reform councillor Alan Amos started the process of toppling his own group leader, several weeks ago, little did he know it would come to this.

His move unwittingly kickstarted a considerable, often startling, chain of events dripping with political irony.

The new power-sharing coalition at the county council was only hatched because the old Reform leadership had toppled leader Jo Monk.

However, it resulted in Worcestershire's Tory group leader being defenestrated by his own national party bosses.

Whatever the outcome of this saga, which now involves lawyers, there appears to be no way back within the Conservative party for Kent, which adds another layer of intrigue.

What we now know - emphatically - is that CCHQ does not approve of power-sharing deals with the Greens, regardless of local circumstances.

"Whatever happens with my situation, I will make it my mission to get 'national' out of local politics," said Kent only a few days ago.

The danger for the Tories is exactly that - going forward, if the council's new deputy leader is determined to campaign on a "keep Westminster politics out of local politics" narrative, it could become a ballot box issue.

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