Why Hartlepool councillor has quit the Conservatives to stand as an independent in May's elections

Councillor Angela Falconer was successful as a Conservative candidate in the Fens and Greatham ward at the Hartlepool Borough Council all-out elections held two years ago.

However, she made the decision to resign from the party at the end of last month ahead of her seat going before voters at May’s local elections.

Cllr Falconer will be seeking re-election in the Fens and Greatham ward, standing against four other candidates, which include the Conservative Party’s Marc Owens.

She said: “I can confirm that I resigned from the Conservative Party on Friday the 24th of March after I had attended my final meeting as an elected Conservative councillor.

“The experience I have gained since first being elected in 2021 convinces me now that I will be far more effective standing completely independent of all local party ties.”

Ray Martin-Wells, honorary president of Hartlepool Conservatives, said Cllr Falconer was a “paper candidate” in the 2021 council elections and “had not been involved” with the local party prior.

He added: “As a result, Angie didn’t understand collective decision-making and struggled to accept group decisions.

“While I wish Angie all the best in her future, I naturally want our candidate Marc Owens to win the seat and continue to help deliver Conservative investment in Fens and Greatham.”

The other three candidates are Philip Holbrook, representing the Labour and Co-operative Party, Roger Jones, standing for Reform UK, and Tony Richardson, another Independent who has served as a councillor previously.