CONSERVATIVE election hopeful Abdul Karim has revealed he was a fully paid-up Labour Party member until a year ago.

Mr Karim is standing for a seat as a Tory councillor in the Oakridge and Tinkers Wood ward in Thursday's Wycombe District Council elections.

Labour Party secretary Jim Tanner said Mr Karim is still registered with the party, but admitted the membership may have expired.

Mr Karim told the Bucks Free Press yesterday: "Yes I was, but I am not a member any more.

"That does not matter now."

Mr Karim, of Upper Green Street, High Wycombe, said he was not sure when he became a Conservative but said he stopped being a member of Labour "about a year ago".

He said: "I just did not like the policies but I do not want to comment on all this."

In a letter to Mr Karim dated November 12, 1998, chairman of Wycombe Labour Party John Huddart said: "We always regret losing the support of a member.

"However, I was even more surprised by the reason you have given for your decision. I do not believe that anyone expects that a Labour Government would be able to resolve the Kashmir situation overnight."

Rival candidate Marie Burnand, who is standing for the Liberal Democrats in the same ward, said: "It seems that even candidates these days are having difficulty distinguishing between Labour and Conservative."

Conservative agent Sue Hynard said: "To be perfectly frank, all I know is he is a paid-up member of the Conservative Party.

"There are plenty of people that change parties, people like Winston Churchill. It's not like people can never change their minds."

Tory leader Pam Priestley said: "It clearly shows he has seen the light."

There are eight candidates contesting the three seats in Oakridge and Tinkers Wood.

The elections take place on May 6.

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