Cannock Tory MP accuses party's local leader of creating 'toxic' atmosphere
Tory MP Aidan Burley has accused his party's group leader on a district council of creating a 'toxic atmosphere' and denied claims the pair have not spoken since February.
But he declared he is still a Conservative and committed to the party, despite his fiancee having resigned the party whip.
The MP for Cannock Chase is standing down next year but the leader of the Conservative opposition on Cannock Chase Council, Paul Snape, claimed they had not spoken since February.
Mr Burley has now replied saying his last face to face contact with the Tory leader was on March 14 and that he remains in regular contact with district Conservatives, even though his fiancee Councillor Jodie Jones has resigned from the group and will sit as an independent in her Rawnsley ward.
The MP also produced an email from Councillor Snape he received in May. And he accused Councillor Snape of being 'rude and aggressive' towards Councillor Jones.
Councillor Snape today said he stood by his earlier remarks and stressed that while they had exchanged pleasantries, they had not discussed politics or planning.
Former Cannock Chase Conservative Association chairman Miss Jones' resignation meant the Tories dropped into third place on the council behind UKIP, as they now have five councillors to the Eurosceptic group's six.
Last week Councillor Snape said he and Mr Burley had not spoken since February 3, two days before Mr Burley declared he would not seek re-election as an MP next year.
But Mr Burley hit back today and said: "This a lie, and a false claim.
"The last time I spoke in person with Paul Snape was at our annual general meeting on March 14. We spoke after I had made my speech at the AGM in the upstairs Churchill Room of the Conservative Club, and again downstairs afterwards in the bar. The conversations were friendly and amicable, and I recall Paul wishing me best of luck for my wedding.
"His statement that I have not spoken to the leader of the Tory group on Cannock Chase Council since February 3 is both false and defamatory, it is over a month and a half incorrect.
"I have numerous witnesses who saw me speaking to him at the AGM, and we have also exchanged emails as recently as two weeks ago.
"I speak to councillors and association members extremely regularly.
"I don't know where Paul's anger is coming from - I assume due to Jodie's decision to leave the group - but that is her decision, not mine.
"From what I can tell Paul has created a toxic atmosphere within the Conservative Group, and has been rude and aggressive to Jodie on a number of occasions.
"It is largely his fault that she no longer feels able to be part of his toxic environment, and he should reflect on how his own behaviour has made her feel unable to continue as a Conservative councillor.
Councillor Snape said: "Aidan was at the AGM and I said 'good luck for the wedding'. That's not talking about politics and it's not speaking to the group leader as far as I am concerned.
"He believes saying hello constitutes talking but I don't. Talking is where you get together and plan."
He declined to comment on the remarks about the 'toxic' environment, saying the party was now working on finding a new candidate for Cannock Chase.
