Two Oldham councillors have defected from the Conservative group, saying they were left with “little choice” following internal conflicts within the local party.

Councillors Dave Arnott and Christine Adams announced their resignations in a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, becoming the latest Tories to abandon the party in recent months. Their departures follow former group leader Graham Sheldon’s resignation earlier this year.

“It was with regret that Councillor Adams and I took the decision to resign from the Conservative Party,” Coun Arnott stated. “It was not a decision that we made easily, however we had reached a point where we felt that we had little choice. Our decision relates to internal matters within the local party in the borough and we do not intend to comment further on that.”

The pair will now represent Royton North as independent councillors. Coun Arnott confirmed they “will not be entering into any agreement to ‘prop up’ the current administration” and pledged to “robustly hold the council to account where we think that they have ‘got it wrong’.” He added that neither councillor has “no intention of joining the Reform Party” and would focus on “matters which affect the day to day lives of residents.”

The defections have dramatically altered Oldham Council’s political landscape, leaving the Conservatives with just five members. The authority now comprises 27 Labour members, 19 independents, nine Liberal Democrats, and the five remaining Conservatives, making it the metropolitan district council with the highest percentage of independent councillors in the UK.

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