Plot to oust Tory posted on YouTube

Lauren Everitt • Published 12 Mar 2010 12:00 1 Comment

AN ASCOT councillor has exclusively told the News that she will not let an alleged smear campaign affect her work for the community.

Royal Borough deputy leader Cllr Alison Knight spoke out this week after an audio recording of the Tory group's political adviser Andre Walker was posted online in which he allegedly plots to oust her from her post.

Mr Walker, who was employed by the Royal Borough, resigned from his post on Friday.

Cllr Knight, who represents Sunninghill and South Ascot, said: "My focus has always been on working for the residents and I am going to continue to focus on working for residents all over the borough.

"I want to deliver a good service for all of them."

A recording of a phone conversation Mr Walker was having while on a train was put on YouTube on Friday. It is not known who he was speaking to, but he is overheard discussing various councillors and their position on the cabinet. It refers to Cllr Knight, allegedly calling her a 'liability'. Mr Walker is also heard discussing a bid by David Cameron to get Tory councils to amend planning processes but he his heard to say cllr Knight, who is head of planning at the Royal Borough, 'kyboshed' the plan.

In the conversation Mr Walker said: "Well now what we need to do is, in May, there's going to be one-to-one where all the councillors are going to talk to the leader and we need to put word round amongst our friends that she should be removed as deputy leader.

"No-one likes her, total liability. 'Total liability' should come up in all the discussions." Following his resignation, Mr Walker said: "I made some comments I shouldn't have. I was incredibly unlucky to sit next to a left wing activist who decided to record me.

"I put the council in a difficult position, I have apologised for that. A conversation I had was overheard, I said the wrong thing, I have apologised.

"I resigned because that was the appropriate thing to do."

Cllr Knight wanted to thank members of the public for their support.

She added: "I have had an amazing number of calls and emails which have been very supportive and very uplifting to me.

"People have been really nice and I have had a couple of members of the public contact me to lend their support."

The 10-minute audio recording with an unidentified person was recorded by a Windsor resident sitting near Mr Walker on a train last Tuesday night.

The man who made the recording, named as Robert Bobbin on YouTube, claims he was so disgusted by what he overheard he decided to record the comments. He said: "I am neither left wing nor an activist, Mr Walker has turned me into an activist these past few days by showing a disdain of decent values in conducting politics.

"I felt I had to stand up and make sure people knew what was being done in their name. People of all political persuasions will be dismayed by the things he said on the train."

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Cllr Simon Werner said the overheard conversation was "incredibly disappointing" and has called for an investigation to find out who was on the other end of the phone and sack them immediately.

He said: "It's incredibly disappointing to hear of the Conservatives infighting at the Royal Borough.

"It's quite shocking that sort of thing goes on at a local council level."

Fellow Tory councillors have refused to comment on the matter. Mr Walker is heard to bring up the names Liam - believed to be cllr Liam Maxwell head of policy and performance -Phil, believed to be cllr Phil Bicknell and Dudley who could be cllr Simon Dudley who Mr Walker suggests should replace cllr Knight as deputy leader.

A statement from the Royal Borough on Friday last week announced that Mr Walker has tendered his resignation from his position. It said: "This has been accepted and he is no longer employed by the council."

To access the recording visit www.youtube.com and search Alison Knight.

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  Bel
  Unregistered User
  Mar 16, 11:19
  Report comment

  That's why the conservatives need to travel first class.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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