Conservatives hit by key resignation in Whitley Bay

Sean Brockbank will also no longer stand as a candidate in Whitley Bay’s St Mary’s ward for next year’s local elections after leaving the Conservative Party.

Mr Brockbank said he no longer believes in the direction the party is going and he needs to focus on personal matters.

Mr Brockbank told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I just think for me, I have got a lot of personal commitments and I cannot give the ward the attention it will need.

“I was a supporter of Liz Truss and with the Autumn Statement and with Rishi, the party is going in a direction I don’t support. The local party does a tremendous job and they have my support going forward.

“Now is the time to take a step back”.

Antony Mullan, the Conservative Northumberland, Tyne and Wear area chairman, said: “Sean Brockbank has not been suspended, expelled or otherwise removed from the Conservative Party, nor was he about to be removed. Likewise, he was not under investigation for any matter.

“Mr Brockbank chose to leave the Conservative Party and wrote a letter of resignation citing a fundamental difference with national party policy. He ceased to be the local chairman and a local government candidate as a result of his resignation.

“As the person to have dealt with this resignation, I can confirm that I have not shared these details with any other individual in North Tyneside, until now, making it impossible for them to have shared the actual reason for his departure with a Labour source. I only share this now to quash untrue rumours of a forcible removal.”

A replacement Tory candidate for St Mary’s has not been announced with the process ongoing. However, a source within the Conservative Party said an announcement would be made in the near future.