The Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Association has selected John Ennis as its candidate for the by-election to succeed Pat Marsh on North Yorkshire Council.
Harrogate resident Mr Ennis will contest the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division brought about by Ms Marsh’s resignation last week.
The former mayor and Liberal Democrat councillor of 33 years posted antisemitic messages on X, formerly Twitter, which described Jewish people as “horrendous” and “vile”.
Mr Ennis, whose background is in healthcare, today said local councillors should be “focused on our area”, rather than “venting about foreign affairs”. He added:
“Having been a councillor from 2010 to 2022 I have a lot of experience of navigating local government. I want to use that experience to get the best for Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone. That is because that community is my community. I live in the ward and have done so with my wife and our family for 30 years.”
Mr Ennis ran in the last election for the same division in May 2022. Pat Marsh, who won, received 1,350 votes while Mr Ennis was second with 910 votes.
He cited social care, special education needs and preserving the environment as “big things” to focus on.
He added:
“But there are also what may seem like smaller things but these are important to the people they affect. We could do with better bus services within the ward, a concentrated effort to improve road surfaces, roads gullies cleaned more often and drains jetted when they become blocked.
“These are the kind of big and small issues which I took up as a councillor previously and some of the ways in which I would hope to support our community again should residents decide to give me that opportunity.”
The Tories are the first party to announce a candidate for the by-election, which will be held on Thursday, April 11.
The winning councillor will serve until May 2027.
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