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10
May
‘Offensive’ to say I tried to fix vote, says Tory leader
Councillor Carl Les has described as “offensive” and “incorrect” claims he tried to manipulate a vote this week that could have ended his lengthy leadership of the Conservative Party in North Yorkshire.
Cllr Les has led the Tories since 2015 but under party rules his position can be challenged at the AGM each year.
Cllr Keane Duncan, who served as highways chief in Cllr Les’ cabinet until the two men fell out last year, was nominated to stand against him at this year’s AGM in Northallerton on Wednesday (May 6).
But the ballot was aborted amid a row over who could take part.
The disagreement centred on whether only the 41 North Yorkshire Tory councillors could vote or whether three Independents, who are part of a wider Conservative and Independents group that was set up in 2023 to shore up support for the administration, were also eligible.
Supporters of Cllr Duncan claim party rules clearly state only Conservative councillors can vote for the party leadership.
One party source claimed Cllr Les tried to manipulate the outcome by allowing the three Independents to vote because he feared losing.
They said he tried to “rig it by changing the electorate on the day”.
Asked to comment, Cllr Les said:
The claim I tried to manipulate the vote is as offensive as it is incorrect. I did not participate in the debate.
Cllr Keane Duncan
A working group was set up after the aborted vote to review the party’s constitution and rules, which Cllr Les said “have not kept up with the present circumstance where there are more than just Conservative Party members as part of the group”.
Asked by the Stray Ferret what the current rules say, he replied:
“That is what we are going to clarify as we are not a simple Conservative group, we are a Conservative and allied group.”
The meeting was deferred until July to give the working group time to report.
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