High Speed 2: Tory councillors defend MP Cheryl Gillan (From Bucks Free Press)

High Speed 2: Tory councillors defend MP Cheryl Gillan

4:13pm Friday 20th January 2012 in Risborough By James Nadal

High Speed 2: Tory councillors defend MP Cheryl Gillan

SEVERAL Tory councillors have moved to defend MP Cheryl Gillan in the wake of a Lib Dem bid to unseat her.

The Liberal Democrats called on the Amersham Conservative Association to deselect her as the MP, and the Bucks Free Press asked all 40 Chiltern District Councillors if they supported the calls.

Cllr Andrew Garnett, chairman of Chesham and Amersham Conservative Association, dismissed the idea.

Cllr Tony Williams said: “I’ll certainly not support any suggestion of a de-selection procedure.

"She’s an excellent MP and has worked tirelessly to try and persuade the party to see common sense over this project.

"She’s in an invidious position where she’s trying to do the best she can for her constituents despite it being against the party line.”

Cllr Noel Brown said: “Whilst I am anti-HS2, we very much need Cheryl to remain in Cabinet where she can continue to push for a difference to the HS2 Proposals as they head towards the Act of Parliament in 2013.

“At least the Amersham residents should be a bit happier with the changes she forced, taking the tunnel away from residential areas.”

Cllr Graham Harris said: “I don’t think the time for resignation is now. Mrs Gillan’s the only member of the cabinet who has objected to HS2 and I think at this time we all need to pull together and continue to press the arguments against the principle of HS2.” Cllrs David Spate, Nick Stewert and Andrew Garth also said they were against deselection. Nick Rose, Leader of Tory controlled Chiltern District Council, said he and his colleagues were focused on stopping HS2 and showing that it is a “a delinquent waste of taxpayers' money”.

No other Tory councillors replied.

A statement from Lib Dem leader Cllr Peter Jones read: “I’ve no doubt that Ms Gillan will stand down before the next election. Indeed, in a speech to a council meeting last week I said ‘for one cheap round of applause before a general election she was going to win anyway, Ms Gillan has lost any political credibility that she may have had’.

“It doesn't really matter any more whether she resigns or not. But the Conservative Party should select a new, anti-HS2 prospective parliamentary candidate immediately. That would be a boost to the campaign, and I call upon them to do so.”

But Martin King, a former mayor of Amersham, defended the MP. Mr King, who resigned as a member of the Tory party in protest at HS2 last week, said: “I’m backing Cheryl all the way, she’s been a fantastic MP. People should be fighting the decision but not having a go at the politicians who’ve worked hard all the way through.”