A Pateley Bridge man who was selected to stand for the Yorkshire Party for Mayor of York and North Yorkshire has resigned from the party.
Keith Tordoff announced his candidacy for the role just over a week ago.
However, in a statement, he said he had decided to resign from the Yorkshire Party “with immediate effect” in order to stand as an independent.
Mr Tordoff, a former police officer, detective and specialist fraud investigator who owns Tordoff Gallery in Pateley Bridge, said the move would allow for “freedom and flexibility” in his campaign.
His statement said:
“The freedom and flexibility of being an independent candidate allows for Keith to appeal to all sections of society and members of all political parties as well as deliver on all relevant issues affecting the people who live, work or visit North Yorkshire.”
The move comes after Mr Tordoff, 67, released a list of pledges last week, which included giving 2,000 households three chickens each.
He said this would save 100 tonnes of food waste each month and improve the health of poorer households.
Mr Tordoff also said his priorities would be to make North Yorkshire an economic powerhouse; improve transport links and connectivity, especially for rural communities; making North Yorkshire a safer place to live, work and visit and to make North Yorkshire a world leader in sustainability.
Read more:
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The 67-year-old, who was born and raised in Leeds, was awarded an MBE in 2018 for services to business and the community.
Mr Tordoff has also previously stood as an independent candidate in both 2021 North Yorkshire Police, Fire Crime Commissioner elections, finishing in third place.
Zoe Metcalfe, the current North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner who lives in Aldborough, has announced she hopes to be selected by the Conservatives in the mayoral election.
