Tories slam Labour and the Lib Dems in Milton Keynes over standards committee ‘collusion’

Milton Keynes Tories are still angry after last week’s ‘unprecedented’ decision to hold a repeat assessment of the ‘racist’ comments on social media of one of their councillors.

In reply, they have been accused of making “feeble excuses for bad behaviour” and urged to “call out racism.”

Cllr Terry Baines (Cons, Campbell Park & Old Woughton) had apologised and referred himself to the standards committee after posting on Facebook that it was “time to stop the invasion of migrants and time to send a lot back.”

A sub-committee considered the matters in public on July 7 and decided not to refer the matter for an investigation.

Following this, the leaders of Labour and the Lib Dems proposed overturning this.

The standards committee on July 23 voted to press the reset button and order another sub-committee to re-hear the matters.

A spokesperson for the Conservative group said nobody was defending what Cllr Baines said.

“It was unacceptable,” the spokesperson said.

As well as apologising Cllr Baines has been sent for diversity training and has his Armed Forces Champion position removed.

Referring to complaints against Labour councillor Moriah Priestley (Central MK) and Lib Dem Kerrie Bradburn (Broughton), which were both held behind closed doors, the Tories were scathing.

The spokesperson said: “Labour and the Lib Dems are making a mockery of the standards process” by choosing to “hide” the other committees “against public interest, to avoid bad headlines.

“The two other political parties have clearly colluded and are playing petty party politics for their own advantage.”

But the council’s Labour leader, Cllr Pete Marland (Wolverton) said: “The standards process is not political and a claim it is makes little sense given the ultimate decisions of the sub-committees was to refer Labour and Liberal Democrat members for some level of investigation, and the recall vote on Cllr Baines was not down party political lines.

“I’m afraid that this claim will do nothing do draw attention away from the weak response of the MK Conservatives to racism, and seeking to play down the impact of racist comments by one of their councillors.

“Rather than seeing conspiracies the MK Conservatives should call out racism for what it is and not make feeble excuses for bad behaviour.”

And Lib Dem Cllr Jane Carr (Newport Pagnell South) said: “Our party has not voted ‘along party lines’, but like any hearing the evidence should be tested and the procedure rules followed.

“By returning the matter in this way we are seeking a full and proper investigation of the evidence.”