Julian Barge, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Primrose Bridge & Bowsland, has switched to the Conservatives, reports the Evening Post.

The paper says Mr Barge switched after allegations from the Lib Dems over a lack of support for the Bradley Stoke Community School.

He is quoted as saying the row was “the last straw” which forced him over the edge.

Mr Barge told the paper: “I have become increasingly disillusioned by the action of the Lib Dems locally and the way in which they place greater importance upon securing party advantage through negative and sometimes nasty campaigning, rather than serving residents.

“I believe that the best interests of Bradley Stoke and indeed South Gloucestershire are served by having Conservative councillors who are committed to putting their residents’ needs before party politics and that is why I have joined them.”

(more…)

Emma Bone, 34, has been picked by the Liberal Democrat’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Bradley Stoke.

Bone, who previously was the PPC in Huddersfield, will now contest the newly created Bradley Stoke & Filton seat at the next General Election.

“I know that there is already huge respect across South Gloucestershire for the work that Steve Webb does in Parliament standing up for South Gloucestershire, and I will be campaigning hard to join him there,” she said.

Bone, an IT specialist, now lives in Bradley Stoke.

The Lib Dems are pitching their yellows forks into Filton & Bradley Stoke - but it appears that the battle is too close to call.

In the yellow corner is Phil Hobson, 37, from just a stone’s throw over the old Severn Bridge in Chepstow.

In the other yellow corner is Emma Bone, 34, who comes from Lembit Opik’s office in Montgomeryshire, North Wales.

I’ve heard that Mr Opik is putting his chips on the table to support his girl, even putting in the odd call to local members to help.

Some Libs Dems locally, though, think Hobson is the choice having previously served as Chepstow’s mayor and currently as a town councillor.

The Lib Dems’ Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Filton & Bradley Stoke will be chosen next week. We’ll let you know who the winner is.

The Evening Post reports that the Conservatives have chosen their new prospective parliamentary candidate for Bradley Stoke.

There’s some more information on Mr Jack Lopresti, 36, in the post above.