Stroud Tories accuse Labour councillor of video ‘performance’

A Stroud Labour councillor has defended appearing in a video saying she is a former Conservative voter who has switched to Labour, without mentioning her new political role.

Councillor Milly Hill was elected to serve the ward of Cam East during the local elections at the start of May.

The video, published on social media, does not mention she is now a Labour councillor.

Siobhan Baillie, the Conservative candidate for Stroud, said “a place on the stage” awaits Ms Hill, although Labour maintain she did vote Conservative up until 2019.

Labour also told the BBC that the video was recorded before Ms Hill was elected as a Labour councillor.

The video was posted on X by Dr Simon Opher, the Labour parliamentary candidate for Stroud.

In it Councillor Milly Hill is portrayed as ‘Milly, Former Conservative Voter in Stroud’.

She said, “I’ve been a centrist Conservative all my life but I think part has really changed and I think the past 14 years have done real damage to the country.”

She finishes the video by saying: “For the first time in a really long time I’m optimistic and excited to vote in a general election.”