The boycott over the government's handling of Brexit means hundreds of activists will not canvass for the party's EU candidates.
Conservative councillors in Derbyshire have voted to go on"strike" and not help candidates campaign in the upcoming European elections, in an extraordinary show of local defiance to the national party.
Every one of the 37 Tory councillors at Derbyshire County Council are in support of the boycott, meaning that hundreds of activists will not deliver leaflets or canvass for the party's candidates in the run up to the elections on 23 May. Council leader Barry Lewis:"I suppose it is described in one way as going on strike, to not take part in a campaign for an election like this.
"It is with a heavy heart - we are an activist group at Derbyshire County Council, we want to support our candidates - but we simply cannot go against the wishes of the people.Image:Mr Lewis, who has been involved in the party since he was 14, said he had written to Conservative Party headquarters about their stance but had not had a response.
He added:"We have fantastic, hard-working Conservative MEPs in Derbyshire but this was about not delivering that democratic mandate, that Leave vote on the 29 March this year.
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