Strood Conservative Scandal brews...

News this week which threatens to rock the Strood Conservative campaign for May's local election.

Information has been leaked to the press in advance of the Standard's Committee meeting that Porfolio Holder and Senior Cabinet Councillor (or comrade) Jane Chitty may have broken the cardinal rule of local politics - to live or work in the area that you seek to represent.

This blog suspects that there is no smoke without fire, but does raise the question about how, once again, it has taken so long for this case to be resolved.

This blogger stood against Councillor Chitty a full four years ago and it would be interesting to note when the information was revealed to Council chieftains.

Is it really co-incidence that Conservative Councillor Chitty has not been re-selected for Strood North, despite being a well known profile?

Dont think so.

If found guilty the Conservative campaign for Strood should perhaps be labelled; a record of inaction, a promise of even less as it will reveal the true calibre of selection for local candidates.

Strood North is a marginal ward and will be toughly fought in future weeks. The Conservative campaign can ill-afford this story miring the actions of the candidates on whether they live and work in the borough.

Labour candidates Cllr Stephen Hubbard, Linda Robson and Liam Curran all live in the Medway towns and have a record of action in the ward. They are standing up for the community against the £23.5m of Conservative cuts whilst money is gerrymandered to safer Conservative shire councils.

This case threatens to destabilise the Conservative campaign.

If found guilty it is but the honourable thing to do to expel the Councillor and issue a full apology to the people of Strood.

Sadly, given the prospect of a local election, one suspects that the conclusion of this case may have been timed to the benefit of... yes, you guessed it, the Conservative administration.

Update

According to sources Cllr Jane Chitty has been cleared by the Standards Committee. Pity this took so long to resolve as now Strood North Conservatives have picked an alternative slate of candidates.