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A SHEPSHED Lib Dem councillor has defected to UKIP and has announced she is standing for her new party in this year’s borough and town council elections.

Coun Diane Horn, of Shepshed West, has been a town councillor for the Liberal Democrats for the last eight years.

She told the Echo she had become disillusioned by the party, its stance on tuition fees, and its leader Nick Clegg.

The chair of Loughborough’s Liberal Democrats, Coun Robin Popley, said the party were “surprised” by her move as “their party’s agenda goes against everything that Coun Horn has told us she stood for”.

Coun Horn told the Echo: “I am no longer sure what the Lib Dems represent. We had seven Lib Dems on the council and we lost four of them. I bumped into an old friend. She mentioned UKIP to me.

“My partner of two and a half years has also supported them.”

She told the Echo that she been called a racist because of her change of political party, but says that is not the case.

“They are totally wrong. I have a Nigerian son-in-law who is in this country and has always paid his taxes and worked hard.

“Just because I am under the UKIP banner it does not change me as a person and I will still work hard for the residents of Shepshed – that will never change.”

She told the Echo that Lib Dems had “lost a lot of what they had locally”.

“I just felt disgruntled with some of their policies. It is frightening what they are thinking of doing with the NHS while UKIP is trying to protect jobs and repair the UK economy and reduce debts.”

She is also not concerned about the UK leaving the EU.

“Many moons ago Britain managed on its own without the EU and they want to make sure the people of England are put first. I did think about standing down altogether but when I got speaking to UKIP, I thought ‘why waste the nine and a half years you have put into this.’

“I was tired and had lost all my energy and was frustrated by what was going on and it has given me a new lease of life.”

Local UKIP candidate Bill Piper welcomed Coun Horn into the UK Independence Party outside the Shepshed Town Council offices last week.

Mr Piper said: “I am very pleased to welcome Diane to UKIP. Diane appreciates the benefits that UKIP will bring to the electorate. These defections are becoming a regular occurrence, and reflect the strength of support we have across the county.”

Branch chairman and Parliamentary Candidate for North West Leicestershire, Dr Andy McWilliam, said: “ Diane thought long and hard before making this move. Naturally, we are delighted. So many good people, just like Diane, are talking to us and considering a future with UKIP.”

Coun Horn will stand for both a Charnwood borough and Shepshed town council position for Shepshed West at this year’s May election.

Coun Robin Popley, chair of Loughborough Liberal Democrats on behalf of the Loughborough Executive Committee, told the Echo: “We were surprised to learn of councillor Horn’s defection to UKIP because their party’s agenda goes against everything that Coun Horn has told us she stood for.

“We wish to say thank you for the eight and a half years that she has been a Liberal Democrat councillor but as our leader, the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said, UKIP are a party he could never work with due to their policies and we wish to reiterate this at a local level.”