The Conservative Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, James Palmer, has released a statement slamming the “foolish decision” of South Cambridgeshire MP Heidi Allen to defect to The Independent Group. The Mayor has called on the pro-second referendum, formerly Conservative MP to call a by-election.

“It’s regrettable that Heidi Allen has felt it necessary to resign from the Conservative Party and join the new Independent Group of MPs.

I believe this to have been a foolish decision. The Conservative Party is a broad church and its right and proper that if the Conservative Party wants to remain the Party of Government this remains the case. It needs to be a Party where a range of different opinions are held and where healthy debate is encouraged…

I expect that Heidi believes she can get elected as an Independent Group MP, I therefore encourage her to put this to the test and to trigger a by election…

I hope Heidi enjoys her day in the limelight. In the meantime, South Cambridgeshire Conservatives need to unite and focus on ensuring that the next MP for South Cambridgeshire is a Conservative MP. I am one hundred per cent with them in this endeavour.”

Strong stuff…