Tory members set to fight branch closure
A CONSERVATIVE branch on the brink of closure is prepared to lobby David Cameron in order to remain open.
Plans are in place to disband the Stamford branch of the party at an executive meeting of the Grantham and Stamford Conservative Association on April 2.
The association claims the branch has been "unable to work happily together for some time" and is looking to keep just one membership group running in town, the Stamford Welland Conservatives., in a bid to restore party unity in the town.
But Stamford branch chairman Peter Spiegl has vowed to fight the proposals, following a recent group meeting to discuss the issue, and says he would be willing to get in touch with party leader Cameron to save the organisation.
He said: "The result of the meeting is that we're going to contest the plans hotly. We think it's a lot of nonsense and it's been extremely badly handled. We intend to take it as far as we can – to David Cameron if possible."
Mr Spiegl added: "The immediate step is the executive meeting where a decision will be made. If we lose and the branch is disbanded we will contest it. This has got the full backing of the branch – 100 per cent support."
Two Stamford branch representatives will be able to stand up and have their say at the executive meeting. The branch will be meeting next week to finalise what it wants to say.
The branch was formed from a merger in 1991, where Stamford North and Stamford South Conservatives were joined together. It currently has more than 70 members.
Mr Speigl said: "It's been alleged that there's a lot of dissension between the two branches, which we think is untrue."
He added: "The executive of the association is using a giant sledgehammer to crack what is really a tiny nut."
Robert Conboy, a former chairman of the branch, believes it would be a mistake to shut down the branch, which was formed in 1991. He said: "Disbandment of the Stamford branch - the largest in the association - just confirms the utter folly of the management of association affairs."
Last month Simon Chapman, chairman of the district association for the Conservatives, wrote to members outlining plans to disband the Stamford branch. He outlined a priority to "restore party unity in Stamford."
Mr Chapman declined to comment in detail about opposition to plans. He said: "It's an internal party matter and the Stamford branch will get due process."
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Monday 06 February 2012
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