Tory cllr deselected in Bury: ‘I’m not happy – but will not stand as independent’

The Jewish councillor unexpectedly deselected ahead of the May local election in Bury has admitted “just like anyone else who would be in my position, I am not happy.”

In a statement released after Jewish News reported on the development, Councillor Jordan Lewis also confirmed he had no intention of quitting Bury Conservatives.

Lewis was replaced at a selection meeting earlier this month as the Tory candidate for Church Ward by Shahbaz Arif who has worked for Bury North MP James Daly.

Saying he wished to “clear up any ongoing speculation regarding my immediate future within the party” Lewis added:” Yes, just like anyone else who would be in my position, I am not happy.”

But he continued: “I must make it clear that I am a Conservative still and still believe in the Council group’s goals and therefore, I will not be standing as an independent.

“Additionally, I am not going to stand in another ward this year as I don’t believe that it is the right thing to do on the back of recent events.

“As a close friend told me, ‘you wouldn’t pet a dog that has just bitten you’ and I believe that the same context applies here too.

“Therefore, I will remain until May’s election as a Conservative Councilor and from there I will see if I am able to return in future years.”

Lewis, elected last May as a councillor, had been a close ally of Christian Wakeford, the Bury South MP, until announced he was quitting the Tories to join Labour.
Wakeford’s surprise move divided opinion amongst the large Jewish community in the region.

But the decision to axe Lewis as a local election candidate has sparked plenty of anger amongst communal Tory supporters.
Some have sighted the local Tory Group’s decision to readmit Bob Caserta, the Pilkington Park ward councillor, who was found guilty by a standards committee to have broken the code of conduct.

Caserta had at one stage commented he would need to speak “Hebrew” to communicated in Bury South.
He was recently readmitted to the party.

One social media post responded to the deselection of Cllr Lewis by suggesting “all the hard work” Bury Conservatives had done to “build trust and form relationships with the Jewish community” was “beginning to be undone.”

An estimated 19% of the population of Prestwich and Whitefield – situated within Bury South – are Jewish and are part of the second largest community in the UK outside London.