This morning The Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Councillor Louise McKinlay, Leader of Brentwood Borough Council held a press conference at the Town Hall to announce the news that Nigel Clarke (Brentwood West) has crossed the floor from the Lib Dems to join the Conservatives on Brentwood Council after saying he disagreed with the way his former group acted on local issues.
Councillors Mike Le Surf (Lab) Russell Quirk (Con) Will Russell (Con) and Nigel Clarke (Con) came to the Phoenix FM studios to give their reaction and views on this mornings news.
So why did Nigel decide that a step towards the Conservatives was the way forward for him personally?
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Will Russell says he is looking forward to working more closely with Nigel in his own ward Brentwood West
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Will-Russell.mp3]
Mike Le Surf was hoping that Nigel was going to join the Labour Party in Brentwood.
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Mike-Le-Surf.mp3]
and Russell Quirk had a very unique analogy to describe Nigel’s defection to the Conservatives
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/russel-quirk.mp3]
Stay tuned to Phoenix FM for more on this story as it develops
(Phoenix FM have approached the Lib Dems for a comment and we hope to have this soon)