Brian Coleman faces ‘trial’ to decide his Conservative Party future
Brian Coleman will have the chance to put forward his case for remaining a Conservative Party member. Picture: Polly Hancock. - Credit: Archant
Disgraced councillor Brian Coleman is set for a new trial to decide if he has a future in the Conservative Party following his conviction for assault.
The former Barnet mayor will have the chance to argue his case for remaining a Conservative Party member at a special meeting of Chipping Barnet Conservative Association set to take place at some point in the next three weeks.
Since admitting an attack on cafe owner and mother-of-two Helen Michael at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court earlier this month, Cllr Coleman, 51, has faced calls for him to be permanently expelled from the Conservative Party.
Today, Fiona Bulmer, chairman of Chipping Barnet Conservative Association, told the Ham&High a final decision on Cllr Coleman’s future in the party would be made in the coming weeks.
She said: “The officers of the association last night agreed to convene a meeting of our executive council to consider Brian’s future membership and that meeting will take place in the next three weeks.
“Brian has the right to appear and put forward his case and then the association will put across their view. There’s a chance for questions and then there’s a vote.
“The meeting is chaired by someone independent. It’s a very formal, legalistic process that we have to follow - it is quite like a trial.”
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If the association decide to expel Cllr Coleman, who is currently suspended from the Tory party and acting as an independent councillor, the expulsion would apply to all Tory associations of which he is a member and the party as a whole, according to Ms Bulmer.
Cllr Coleman has also faced demands he resign as a Barnet councillor following his conviction.
It takes a prison sentence of three months or more for someone to be disqualified as a councillor – and Cllr Coleman received only a fine.