A COUNCILLOR who switched from the Conservatives to UKIP said resigning from the Tories was a “painful” process.

Bicester North councillor Jim Tucker announced he was joining the anti-EU party led by Nigel Farage following his resignation as a Tory on September 30.

Describing his reason for leaving the Conservatives Mr Tucker said: “Three words: sovereignty, family and liberty – three of the core Conservative values that have been abandoned and that gap has been filled by UKIP.”

He added: “In UKIP I discovered a party that not only said it cared about sovereignty but actually had policies to prove it.”

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Bicester mayor Councillor Lynn Pratt said: “It came as a surprise and I am very disappointed a fellow Conservative colleague has left. It is just a shame that he felt he could not stay with the Conservatives, whose ticket he was elected on.”

Mr Tucker, who lives with his wife in Bicester, has continued to work as a member of Bicester Town Council, although he has stepped down from his roles on the events and finance committees.

Outside politics Mr Tucker, father to three daughters, continues working with clients of Jacasta, a web technology business where he is a director.

He added: “Resigning from the Conservatives was a very painful process and the most difficult thing I have done.

“As a matter of courtesy I stepped down from my positions on the committees but I asked the leader of the council if I could remain on the environment and policy committees.

“I would really like a by-election but that would take up a significant amount of money and the consequences were not sufficient to warrant that.”

Elected in May 2011, Mr Tucker had less than a year left of his four-year term with Bicester Town Council ahead of next May’s elections.

Dan Sames, councillor for the Bicester South ward on Cherwell District Council and Bicester Town Council, said: “I am disappointed that he felt the need to change and I do not think it was needed. It is always sad to lose a colleague but he is entitled to his opinion whether it is right or wrong.”

Mr Tucker admitted some of constituents unhappy with his move.

“Some people are vigorously opposed to what I have done, but I’d say it’s about an 85 per cent positive reaction.”

Asked if more members may be considering the move he said: “As much as I would like to comment, even if I did know, I could not say.”

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