An Aberdeenshire councillor who joined Reform claims the national Tory party stepped in to remove him from the local authority’s ruling coalition.
John Cox was the third in Aberdeenshire to join Nigel Farage's party following "economic decline" of his local ward. Now Mr Cox says his removal from authority is to make way for a shake-up.
His claims come after he and multiple other councillors defected to Reform UK, putting the administration in crisis.
The Banff councillor says he was given an “ultimatum” to quit his membership of Reform or leave the coalition, alleging the order came from the top.
“It’s become clear that the local administration is now being dictated by Conservative HQ,” he said.
“That’s unacceptable in any council, let alone on facing massive budget pressures.”
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