Half of Colchester's Lib Dem's group resigns due to 'toxic culture'

Six out of the 11 Liberal Democrats on the Colchester executive committee, which has a say on how the local party is run,  have resigned including the chair, vice chair, and secretary.

The Gazette understands former chair Jacqui Morley will remain as the electoral agent for the Liberal Democrat’s Parliamentary candidate Martin Goss – who is not on the executive committee.

Ms Morley declined to comment, however in a distributed letter obtained by the Gazette, she said: “We have a situation where a small number of elected councillors are holding the local party ‘to ransom’.

“Because of the numbers we are running the administration with the support of Labour. These individuals threaten to resign as Lib Dem councillors if they don’t get their own way, and senior members of the councillor group repeatedly appease them to prevent them from leaving because of this.”

Sad - Council Leader David King said the resignations were sad for the local party (Image: Newsquest)

Another main reason was the “toxicity within the councillor group”, with Ms Morley saying she is under “personal attack from some councillors” including in a “combined WhatsApp group as well as face-to face”.

She added this toxicity had led to potential 2026 councillors feeling they can no longer stand “because of this toxic culture”.

Councillor David King, leader of the council, said: “It’s very sad that some of our ‘exec’ have decided to step down.

“My thanks to them all. But this is an internal party matter, nothing to do with the running of the council that I hope can be resolved soon”

Pressures - Councillor Mark Cory said the 6 executive committee members resigned due to the pressures of the 'politics of politics' (Image: Newsquest)

While Mark Cory, deputy leader of the council, said: “For me it is very much we are all volunteers, some of us are elected, and some volunteers will no longer want to continue under the pressures that brings and the politics of politics.

“The people that have resigned have been hardworking and decent, it is sad, but they are fed up with having to argue and I want to move forward from this.”

Mr Cory also said he had never witnessed any Liberal Democrats threatening to resign, adding “I don’t like anyone saying we will walk.

“Communities come first before me. We have councillors elected who will remain elected.”

The Gazette put Ms Morley's claims to the 15 Lib Dem councillors on the council. 

Sam McCarthy, ward councillor for Shrub End, said: "I focus on my ward of Shrub End and the forthcoming general election, before anything else. "