This is Leicestershire -- Former Leicestershire County Council leader David Parsons has joined UKIP. Mr Parsons, who quit County Hall and The Conservative Party following an expenses scandal in 2012, has today travelled down to London to meet the leader of his new party, Nigel Farage. He said his old party, Labour and the Liberal Democrats were "tired" and only UKIP "truly represents the hopes and ambitions of the people in our country." The politician's switch follows an announcement earlier this month that he would face no further action following an 18 month police investigation into alleged financial irregularities over his expenses. The inquiry related to trips he made to Europe during his nine years in charge at County Hall. Mr Parsons has been serving as an independent member of Blaby District, representing the Muxloe ward along with his wife, Liz, who has also today joined UKIP. The Mercury understands Mr Parsons hopes to stand as a UKIP candidate in the next year's General Election in a Leicestershire seat as yet to be decided. The former Tory said: "For many years I have served the people of Leicestershire as both a county and a district councillor and it has been an honour. "Since resigning from the Conservative Party 18 months ago I have served as an independent councillor at Blaby District Council but I feel the time is now right to align myself to UKIP." Separately to that investigation, in June 2012 the council's standards committee censured Mr Parsons and concluded he had disregarded four key principles of public life – honesty, integrity, accountability and leadership by allowing more than £5,400 of the council's cash to build up in his personal bank account. Those expenses should have been promptly transferred to the council and in October 2012, Mr Parsons publicly "fully and unreservedly" apologised for failing to reimburse the authority promptly. He further apologised for failing to change the arrangements for reimbursement despite requests to do so by senior council officials, and for "failing to help" auditors investigating expenses claims. Mr Parsons said his time, as county council leader, spent on the Committee of the Regions in Brussels, which comments on EU policy had proved to him how Europe had failed. He said he agreed with UKIP's stance on immigration but hoped he "may be part of a new thinking inside the party." He added: "At a time when so many of us are struggling to make ends meet, we are left to the whims and fancies of a Tory/Liberal coalition. "I believe that UKIP is now the only political party who truly represent the hopes and aspirations of the people in our county. "I have always been a champion of local government, and in UKIP, we have a party which believes in real democracy at a local level. I'm delighted to have been welcomed into the UKIP family and look forward to taking our message of fresh, common sense politics to the people of Leicestershire." UKIP East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer, himself a former Tory, said: "I'm delighted to have two councillors with the experience of David and Elizabeth, joining our growing team in Leicestershire. "As local residents continue to turn their backs on the three tired old parties, UKIP stand ready to show voters a real alternative to the establishment, a political party which puts the electorate first.""For years, David and Elizabeth have done an exceptional job of serving local people, and of standing up for the best interests of residents in Leicestershire. I know they will build on that record now as UKIP councillors." Mr Helmer said he did not consider accepting Mr Parsons into the party was a risk. He said: "There were some issues raised and they were investigated. We want to look to the future not the past.
Reported by This is 10 hours ago.
This is Leicestershire -- Former Leicestershire County Council leader David Parsons has joined UKIP. Mr Parsons, who quit County Hall and The Conservative Party following an expenses scandal in 2012, has today travelled down to London to meet the leader of his new party, Nigel Farage. He said his old party, Labour and the Liberal Democrats were "tired" and only UKIP "truly represents the hopes and ambitions of the people in our country." The politician's switch follows an announcement earlier this month that he would face no further action following an 18 month police investigation into alleged financial irregularities over his expenses. The inquiry related to trips he made to Europe during his nine years in charge at County Hall. Mr Parsons has been serving as an independent member of Blaby District, representing the Muxloe ward along with his wife, Liz, who has also today joined UKIP. The Mercury understands Mr Parsons hopes to stand as a UKIP candidate in the next year's General Election in a Leicestershire seat as yet to be decided. The former Tory said: "For many years I have served the people of Leicestershire as both a county and a district councillor and it has been an honour. "Since resigning from the Conservative Party 18 months ago I have served as an independent councillor at Blaby District Council but I feel the time is now right to align myself to UKIP." Separately to that investigation, in June 2012 the council's standards committee censured Mr Parsons and concluded he had disregarded four key principles of public life – honesty, integrity, accountability and leadership by allowing more than £5,400 of the council's cash to build up in his personal bank account. Those expenses should have been promptly transferred to the council and in October 2012, Mr Parsons publicly "fully and unreservedly" apologised for failing to reimburse the authority promptly. He further apologised for failing to change the arrangements for reimbursement despite requests to do so by senior council officials, and for "failing to help" auditors investigating expenses claims. Mr Parsons said his time, as county council leader, spent on the Committee of the Regions in Brussels, which comments on EU policy had proved to him how Europe had failed. He said he agreed with UKIP's stance on immigration but hoped he "may be part of a new thinking inside the party." He added: "At a time when so many of us are struggling to make ends meet, we are left to the whims and fancies of a Tory/Liberal coalition. "I believe that UKIP is now the only political party who truly represent the hopes and aspirations of the people in our county. "I have always been a champion of local government, and in UKIP, we have a party which believes in real democracy at a local level. I'm delighted to have been welcomed into the UKIP family and look forward to taking our message of fresh, common sense politics to the people of Leicestershire." UKIP East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer, himself a former Tory, said: "I'm delighted to have two councillors with the experience of David and Elizabeth, joining our growing team in Leicestershire. "As local residents continue to turn their backs on the three tired old parties, UKIP stand ready to show voters a real alternative to the establishment, a political party which puts the electorate first.""For years, David and Elizabeth have done an exceptional job of serving local people, and of standing up for the best interests of residents in Leicestershire. I know they will build on that record now as UKIP councillors." Mr Helmer said he did not consider accepting Mr Parsons into the party was a risk. He said: "There were some issues raised and they were investigated. We want to look to the future not the past.
Reported by This is 10 hours ago.