Stockton Conservative councillor resigns to sit as independent

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 4 Nov, 20:28 · Archive

Councillor John Coulson has left the Conservative group on Stockton Council to sit as an independent for Yarm.

Councillor John Coulson has resigned from the Conservative group on Stockton Council and will continue as an independent councillor for Yarm. He said he was 'always a Conservative' but had had enough of political fighting and point-scoring, wanting instead to 'plough my own furrow'.

The Conservative group accused Coulson of 'betraying Yarm voters and doing Labour's bidding' and letting down colleagues and residents by holding discussions with Labour councillors. These discussions concerned plans for Yarm High Street.

Coulson, who was elected as a Conservative councillor in 2023, said 'all I want is what the residents of Yarm want'. He stated he would work with people of any political persuasion and had always followed his conscience and beliefs since his election.

In a statement, Coulson said he had made his feelings known a year earlier about sitting as an independent but was persuaded to remain with the party at that time. He noted that independent Conservatives were once permitted to stand but this practice was later abolished.

Coulson said that at a recent meeting he had to follow his conscience and beliefs, leading him to decide the time was right to leave the Conservative Party. He will serve the remaining term of his council seat as an independent for Yarm, alongside fellow councillors Andrew Sherris and Dan Fagan. He has served on various committees including health, policing and the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

How it is being reported

• ‘I must plough my own furrow’ says councillor as he quits Tories to go independentA councillor has resigned from the Conservatives on Stockton Council and will continue as an independent, saying: “I must be allowed to plough my own furrow.”Darlington & Stockton Times · 4 Nov, 14:26
• ‘I must plough my own furrow’ says councillor as he quits Tories to go independentA councillor has resigned from the Conservatives on Stockton Council and will continue as an independent, saying: “I must be allowed to plough my own furrow.”The Northern Echo · 4 Nov, 13:29
• Councillor resigns from Stockton Council Conservative group to 'plough my own furrow' as independentCouncillor John Coulson said 'all I want is what the residents of Yarm want', while the Conservative group leader said he had let residents downTeessideLive · 4 Nov, 12:59

In this story: John Coulson · Stockton Council · Yarm · Conservative Party · Labour

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log