A LONG-serving councillor has quit the Conservatives in a shock move.

Cllr Yvonne Wright told the Bury Times feels that the values of the Conservative party no longer represent her own.

The ward councillor for Tottington has been a Conservative councillor for more than two decades.

She said : "My values are no longer aligned to those of Bury Conservatives , I wish to continue to focus on issues that matter to residents but not party politics .

"I won’t be briefing against anyone and just wish to continue working diligently for positive outcomes as I have for the past 22 years and I hope residents will still support me as an Independent Candidate in the forthcoming Elections.2

The departure comes just weeks after Bury South MP Christian Wakeford defected to the Labour Party.

Cllr Wright says he her successes as a local councillor include campaigning in 2006 to keep parking free in Tottington and in 2017 to save the library from closure.

She was last elected in 2019 with a majority of 965 with 58.2 per cent of the vote and also represents Affetside and Walshaw.

This years elections are” All Outs “ with all 51 Councillors up for election with each resident having three votes to cast