A CONSERVATIVE election hopeful has slammed the party following its Cumberland election defeat - saying 'that's me, I'm off' to the group as he hopes to join Labour.

Antony Todd stood as an election candidate in the Maryport South ward during last week's Cumberland Authority elections.

The Conservative Party member has said he is now thinking about joining the Labour Party after what he describes as the lack of support and faith in the group he has been a member of for more five years and supported since he was 19.

Speaking to the Times & Star, Mr Todd said: “I was given no help and support whatsoever. They were more interested in six target seats.

“They were out in droves in places, it’s the most they have ever spent in a local election but for Maryport I think they just screwed us… when I asked for help in Maryport I was told no.

“As for now I think generally in Westminster they have just lost the plot and locally I just think nobody has any faith in Mark [Jenkinson, MP] anymore because of his comments. The comments I was getting on the door was, 'Antony we would vote for you, but out of principle because of Mark we won’t be voting at all'.”

Mr Todd said that people on the doorstep were saying that they have been turned off by comments Mr Jenkinson has made on social media.

He said: “I feel let down by the local party.

“Even just walking on the street it was a case of 'because of what he [Boris] has done you have got no chance'.

“I was told a few times I can shove my Tory leaflet where the cheese and wine come out of.”

Mr Todd said what was on the leaflet was edited to what he had wanted to say - he had wanted to talk about bringing a market back to Maryport - but said these details were ‘missed out’ from the final copy leaflets.

I would probably join Labour

He said: “I want to join a different party because this is not the party I have supported; I would probably join Labour.

“Labour had the same amount of volunteers as what we did, its just they (the Conservatives) were just fixated on these six target seats and everywhere else I think it was just a front. I think they were just hellbent on trying to get these seats to make some kind of a statement.”

Mr Todd said that he had raised concerns with members of the Conservative team at the count; he said a member of the group used explicit language towards him, so he left the election count.

He said: “So I took my rosette off, I gave it back to the campaign manager, and said 'that’s me, I’m off'.

“I was just so angry that that could be done where people are at, it’s just out of order from your own party.”

A spokesman for the Workington Conservative Association said: “A future association executive meeting will consider the expulsion of Antony Todd from the Conservative Party following an altercation with a staff member.

"As that decision is still to be taken and is subject to the right of appeal, Workington Conservative Association will be making no further comment.”

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