A councillor will stand for re-election at the polls today (May 2) despite resigning from his party in disgrace less than a month ago.
West Sussex county councillor John Cherry caused national uproar following his outspoken attack to a national newspaper about plans to open a sister school to an inner-city London academy in a village near Chichester.
Coun Cherry is one of several controversial figures hoping for votes today, including a UKIP candidate who was jailed for dumping pig carcasses in a wood, as residents go to the polls in the county council elections.
The first results are expected for Eastbourne and Hastings after midnight with the majority of results delivered tomorrow morning.
Coun Cherry resigned from the Conservative Party following his comments but will stand as an independent in Midhurst.
Electoral rules meant his name could not be removed from the ballot paper at such short notice and leaves the Conservatives without a candidate.
In East Sussex, Lawrence Keeley is standing for UKIP in the Hailsham and Herstmonceux ward.
The 67-year-old former butcher was jailed in 2003 having been sentenced for burning pigs’ heads, cows’ lungs and spinal cords at a beauty spot.
Speaking to The Argus yesterday (May 1), Mr Keeley said his time in Lewes Prison had taught him to have a greater interest in others – and also that the majority of people in jail should not be there.
In the past
He said he was not proud of going to prison but claimed he was so poor at the time of the incident he was eating pig swill and couldn’t pay the £3,000 fine, so 31 days in prison had been a “bargain”.
He added: “It was ten years ago. That’s in the past now and we have got to move forward.”
Mr Keeley said he was involved locally with both the Liberal Democrats and Greens before being inspired by UKIP leader Nigel Farage speaking in Bexhill nine years ago.
He stands on the election lists alongside Anna-Marie Crampton, running as an independent candidate in Crowborough, who was suspended by UKIP over comments posted from her Facebook profile denying that the Holocaust had ever happened.
She has since posted a homemade Dubstep music video where she urges voters to choose UKIP.
A West Sussex County Council spokesman said that the deadline for withdrawal of nomination for the county council elections was noon on April 10.
Election information
See a full list of candidate for each council seat here: www.theargus.co.uk/news/elections/localelections2013
Visit theargus.co.uk for live results from the elections as they happen.
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