Conservative Councillor Carol Taylor - who only yesterday defended the party’s voting strategy as united but individual – has dramatically quit the Tories and joined the Independent Group on Boston Borough Council.
Councillor Taylor, who jointly represents the town’s Witham ward with fellow Conservative and Mayor Mary Wright, is Chairman of the council’s Licensing/Regulatory and Appeals Committee
She has lived in Boston since 2003 and is a NHS registered nurse. In her pre-election address she told voters that she lived in the ward, felt strongly that it should be represented by a resident, and if elected would “work tirelessly to support you, Witham Ward, and the town. I promise you my total commitment. Together we will strive to deliver a better future for everyone.”
Yesterday’s surprise move makes the former Boston bypass independent party seem stable by comparison - at least it took several months before it started to fall apart.
But the Conservatives seem determined to go one better at every level – starting with ignoring the rules and protocol, and ending yesterday with the forced departure of a promising newcomer who took the job of councillor seriously and who wanted do the best possible job for the electorate.
Once again the Big Blue Dragon and captive Dragonistas have put party before people and cut any free thinkers adrift.
The new shape of Boston borough Council is now:
Conservatives 18
Independents. 5
Boston bypass independents 4
Labour 3
English Democrats 2
Councillor Taylor's departure is surely not a spur of the moment decision.
No-one who quits this early into the game does so unless the seeds of doubt were sown well prior to yesterday's decision.
What caused the problem we do not know.
But clearly there have been failures by the new leadership to convince anyone who questions the party line to ignore their conscience and keep in step with the regime.
Problematically, the messages we are receiving are telling us that our new Conservatives masters clearly care little for democracy.
Apparently, they would rather return to the cosy days when things went just the way they wanted rather than deliver on promises of openness and transparency.
The “old school" dominance is clear for all to see.
Only yesterday, Councillor Taylor was at pains in these pages to point out that being a Conservative councillor did not mean that members voted to order; that they did not merely follow the pack and toe the party line.
She said that criticism of a mass vote for a BTAC project in Central Park meant either “1) That we cannot form an individual opinion “or “2) That we are all united in our decision to vote on an issue based on individual opinions which as a team believe is the correct way forward. “I am going for the latter!
Obviously a point was being made here, but there may also have been a possible subtext which saw a defence of the Tory mindset transmute into a difference if opinion between Councillor Taylor and the boys in blue who run the shop.

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