A Tory councillor in Argyll and Bute has been kicked out of the party amid claims he used different aliases to respond to a public consultation.
Alastair Redman denied the allegations, insisting he was merely “helping out my constituents” fill out feedback forms on a proposed council ward boundary shake-up.
He also suggested his former party had thrown him “under the bus”, and confirmed he would be standing as an independent at the local government elections next year.
I was merely helping out my constituents fill out boundary changes forms, in what was a successful local campaign.”
The councillor for Kintyre and the Islands was previously readmitted to the party after being suspended in November 2019, when he was one of 25 Conservative members across the country who faced allegations in relation to Islamophobic social media posts.
Disciplinary proceedings
However, on Monday, a spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: “Following disciplinary proceedings, Alastair Redman is no longer a member of the party.”
The Tories refused to comment on the reason for the departure of Mr Redman, who had served in roles on the ruling administration at Argyll and Bute Council.
We understand the process related to a recent Boundaries Scotland consultation on proposed ward changes at Argyll and Bute Council.
Mr Redman is currently one of three councillors who represent Kintyre and the Islands at the local authority.
However, under the proposals, his ward would have been renamed “Islay, Jura and Colonsay”, and would have been cut down to two councillors.
Changes to ward boundaries in the Argyll and Bute Council area, and Highland Council, have been put on hold after a recent vote by MSPs on Holyrood’s local government committee.
Before the conclusion of the investigation by the Scottish Conservatives, Mr Redman previously told the Argyllshire Advertiser that he believed “this suspension will be dealt with swiftly”.
On Monday, he told us: “As far as I’m concerned, the Conservatives should perhaps keep the assets they have, and not throw their own people under the bus.
“That said, they have probably done me a favour and I’ll probably be the better for it.”
They have probably done me a favour and I’ll probably be the better for it.”
Asked about the boundary consultation, Mr Redman denied he had used different aliases.
“No, no. I was merely helping out my constituents fill out boundary changes forms, in what was a successful local campaign to stop the boundaries changes taking place,” he said.
“Before I was elected to local office, I had done similar things for my constituents in making claim forms, for instance against SSE, when we had a number of power cuts on Islay.
“When I was in the post office, I would always help out my customers fill out forms, so it is no different from that.
“I was merely helping my constituents in a local campaign to stop the boundary changes happen, which was, by the way, very successful.”
On the election, Mr Redman added: “I’ll be running as an independent. I’ve got a very good chance of being elected.
“It’s a three-man member ward, and I’ve got a huge local profile.”