A Walsall councillor has resigned from the Tory party after attending a Tommy Robinson march

Councillor Jade Chapman, ward member for Rushall-Shelfield, announced her resignation on Thursday (September 18).

She said a ‘formal grievance’ that she submitted to the party, which detailed ‘persistent bullying’ from a fellow councillor, had not been acted on.

Councillor Chapman said that ‘by stark contrast’, when a complaint was made against her attending the Tommy Robinson march in London on September 13, the party acted on it immediately.

She said the ‘inconsistency’ has led her to believe the party’s processes are applied ‘selectively and unfairly’.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, she said: “Resigning from the Conservative Party has not been an easy decision, in fact, it’s one I had hoped I would never have to make, but recent events have made it impossible for me to continue under its banner with integrity.

“Recently, I submitted a formal grievance regarding the persistent conduct of a fellow councillor.

“My complaint outlined serious issues of bullying, exclusion, and misrepresentation, behaviours that have deeply impacted my ability to serve our community effectively and without fear.

“Despite the gravity of these concerns, not a single welfare check was made. No call came. No support was offered.

“In stark contrast, when a complaint was made against me, not for wrongdoing, but simply for attending the Unite the Kingdom march with my family, it was acted upon immediately.

“My presence at that march, as a mother and a public servant, became a political weapon, while the grievance I raised was quietly pushed aside.

“I cannot, in good conscience, remain part of a party that failed to support me when I needed it most and allowed an atmosphere where bullying could be swept under the rug instead of confronted head-on.”

Husband stood as a Conservative candidate

The resignation follows the Pelsall by-election last week, where her husband, Lee Chapman, stood as a Conservative candidate.

Mr Chapman, who also attended the London march, came second in the by-election with 43 per cent of the vote, as Reform UK candidate Graham Eardley won the seat with 45 per cent.

Councillor Chapman will still serve as a councillor for the Rushall-Shelfield ward but as an independent member.

When asked about next year’s local elections, Councillor Chapman said she has no plans and is staying focused on her family and residents of Rushall.

Responding to the LDRS, a spokesperson for the Conservative Party said: “The Conservative Party has an established code of conduct and formal processes where complaints can be made in confidence. This process is rightly confidential.”