County Conservative chairman to step down amid 'division' at MP reselection
A Conservative chairman has spoken of "division" caused by the reselection meeting of a county MP, as he confirmed his decision to step down.
David Roberts, chairman of Shrewsbury & Atcham Conservatives Association (SACA), wrote to members of the group this morning to confirm he would be stepping down from his position at the next annual meeting in May.
It comes after the association met on Thursday night to vote on the re-selection of current Shrewsbury & Atcham MP, Daniel Kawczynski.
One source had described the meeting to the Shropshire Star as "heated" with "strong opinions expressed".
Mr Kawczynski was re-selected but in a letter to association members Mr Roberts said he had been "utterly horrified by a number of things in the last two days".
Listing his reasons Mr Roberts expresses frustration at being told the meeting would be run by the 'area team', and not SACA.
The chairman also criticised the actions of one participant – who he said shouted others down, adding that the evening would have "severe consequences for the association".
He said: "Shouting down members and not letting people with an alternative view speak is not democracy and not at all how I had planned that the meeting would be handled.
"SACA has been held together with elastic bands and blue tac for the last few years and he blew it in under an hour. This will have severe consequences for the association for which I am deeply regretful."
Mr Roberts also spoke of the "division" caused by the meeting and the challenge the association faces.
He wrote: "We are meant to be a party of inclusion so to see the division that last night’s meeting has caused leaves me with a huge sense of failure so now is the time for someone else to take up the mantle and take the party on into the future which for the new association will be a huge challenge but one that with unity is easily surmountable.
"As many have said before “divided we fall”."
