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The leader of Cornwall Council’s Labour group has quit the party because of 'bullying and intimidation'.

Tim Dwelly, who represents Penzance East, said that from today he would sit as an independent councillor at County Hall because remaining a member of the party was preventing him from helping his community.

Mr Dwelly said that a major reason for his exit from the party was the “bullying and intimidation” he has experienced from the Labour Party.

He said: “Many of you will not be aware how difficult things are today within Labour. It’s now common to experience rows, bullying, intimidation and plots.

"We’ve seen this being escalated across the country, it’s not just happening here. But I don’t want to be undermined for years ahead as your councillor or have my home/family life affected by this toxic environment.”

He added: “It’s for others to consider their response to the tragic takeover of Labour. I have struggled with this for a long time, maybe too long. I know many others feel the same.”

But Labour councillor Cornelius Olivier said he did not “recognise” Mr Dwelly’s comments about bullying and intimdation.

Mr Dwelly said that the decision to leave Labour after being a member for more than 30 years was “really hard and horrible”.

But he said that he did not feel he could represent those who had voted for him if he continued in the Labour party.

In a letter sent to constituents today he writes: “I feel the Labour Party I joined all those years ago is no longer Labour. I haven’t changed, the party has. Many of those running the party in Cornwall today only joined to take it to the far left (sometimes after long memberships of hard left parties).

“While I have been getting car parks made free at night and encouraging more police action on anti social behaviour, the local party has focused on things that seem irrelevant to real life or the modern world.

"A recent example: they passed a motion calling on people to be taxed if they use a self-service checkout in shops. I have been told my job as a councillor is to ‘educate’ voters, to tell you why those gathering at the bottom of Causewayhead last summer are the vulnerable ones – not the residents and shoppers walking past them.

“In my experience, the far left people who have taken over are more interested in controlling the party than actually delivering things that matter: higher pay, more investment, better services.

"Rather than accept a broad church, many of them are now actively attacking elected Labour councillors like me. I have been told bluntly that they want to get rid of me.”

Cornelius Olivier said: “This has come as a big surprise to me. I only found out about it this morning. We were all surprised to hear this.

“(The comments about bullying and intimidation) is a description that I do not recognise at all.

“I think what you do have, and what you are going to get as a councillor, is criticism. The Labour Party is five times the size it was in Cornwall two or three years ago.

“Everybody is very keen to do things and it is inevitable that you will have disagreements and criticism. I don’t feel that is a reason to quit.

“I have never felt intimidated. I have had criticism, but I just accept that.

“Tim is a very effective councillor in a lot of ways and he is a councillor who fights for the area that he represents. It is disappointing that he is leaving the Labour group.

“But there are bound to be differences of opinion, but that is not a reason to leave.”

Mr Olivier said that the same kind of criticism and disagreements would happen no matter which political group a councillor sits in.

He added: “It is astonishing really, we did extremely well in the local elections last year and the Parliamentary elections in Cornwall, I am mystified really as to why he has made this decision. I can’t really see what the problem is.”

Mr Olivier added: “The Labour Party has increased its numbers in the county. As a councillor you don’t take orders from the Labour Party but you should listen to them.”

Mr Dwelly said that he became a councillor to help Penzance and to help represent those people who wanted to attract investment into the town and were progressive.

He said: “Here in Penzance I have tried hard to get things done not just talk. Results include: free night time parking, improved cleaning in the back streets, saving Jubilee Pool by getting the council to contribute to a successful funding bid, bringing CCTV to Princess May Rec, bringing a new outstanding-rated Oasis nursery to Lescudjack (coming soon, over 20 jobs), helping the Soft Play Zone get established, stopping the unpopular parking permits, getting graffiti removed from the Bowl skate park, replacing lights on the prom.

"This energy will continue. But sadly I now know I will be better able to do things like this for Penzance outside the party.”

He added: “I know some of you voted for me because I was Labour and you may be disappointed. But I believe that most who voted for me did so because I get things done. As a Penzance Independent councillor I will continue to do this. There’s no other party I would join.

"I will oppose Government cuts and will give everything I can to the town, working with everyone who wants to help Penzance. Working together we get so much more done.”

Asked whether he expected other Labour councillors in Cornwall to follow him Mr Dwelly said that would be their personal decision.

But he added that several in the Labour group felt the same way as he did and he was concerned they could find themselves in the same position soon.

The Labour Party declined to comment on the claims made by Mr Dwelly regarding bullying and intimidation.

A Labour spokesman said: “Tim Dwelly is no longer a member of the Labour Party. The Labour Group in Cornwall will continue to work hard representing local residents, battling for the many not the few.”

This story was first uploaded at 12am on March 1. It was updated further at 12pm.