The Conservative half of Crawley Borough Council welcomes that the Mayor has finally heeded our calls by resigning his position - but this is seven weeks too late.  It was clear to everyone in Crawley that the behaviour very publicly on display seven weeks ago on July 19th, was wholly incompatible with holding the position of Mayor of Crawley - a role where the highest standards of personal conduct are expected.

Clear to everyone that is, except for Crawley Borough Council’s Labour Administration and every single Labour councillor in Crawley, all of whom have failed miserably to condemn their Mayor’s appalling conduct that has shamed our town, as well as them completely ignoring the sheer weight of Crawley public opinion.

Only now, with the Mayor being forced to resign due to the imminent No Confidence vote this Thursday that we called, might Labour councillors grudgingly admit that the Mayor’s behaviour was wrong.  We should now have an immediate election for a new Mayor, where both the Labour and Conservative groups are allowed to nominate a potential successor.  

Just three months ago, Crawley Borough Council’s minority Labour Administration clung on to power thanks to a casting vote from this now disgraced former Mayor.  In doing this, Labour’s Mayor overrode a democratically taken vote at that meeting to remove the Mayor’s casting vote for the meeting’s duration.  Today, what little legitimacy Crawley’s Labour Administration had has crumbled.  At the local elections in May next year, we Conservatives will offer a fresh new start for Crawley.

Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group

7th September 2021