WYRE Forest’s Conservative Association and Stephen Clee, who represents Bewdley and Arley on the district council and Chaddesley Corbett on the county authority, continue to decline The Shuttle’s request to comment on the decision to expel him from the party and his subsequent successful appeal.
But Mr Clee is understood to have told the association he is relieved with the outcome of his appeal and has called on Tory party colleagues to put the matter behind them.
In a written statement seen by The Shuttle, he told the association: “I would like to thank all those members who have supported me throughout this whole process. I understand that this issue has divided the association and that some members could not support me.
“I want to say most categorically that I respect a member’s right to express their view and I bear no grudge at all.
“I wish to plead to all sides of the association to draw a line under this issue and unite behind the party we all support.
“We are like a family and, like all families from time to time, things go wrong and they fall out. That is what has happened here.
“What has happened is in the past and must stay in the past. We must move on together, united as one.
“Now is the time to move forward and concentrate on what as an association we do best, winning elections.”
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