First Veritas Councillor & Kilroy goes for Erewash

The following is an extract from the latest Derby Guardian, linked here:

© Brennan Publications 2nd Year ISSN 1743-2243

Volume 2 (No. 60A) EXTRA By email February 4, 2005

Contents include: The country’s first Veritas councillor is already on Derby City Council; The leader of the Labour group explains why its 25 councillors voted to abstain in the crucial vote on Quad, the controversial arts and media project; Last call for Derby voters to register for the general election, and much more.

Kilroy’s new party makes a splash in Derbyshire

Frank Leeming is first Veritas councillor

Elected as Derby City Council’s first and only member of the United Kingdom Independence Party last year, Frank Leeming resigned in December to become its only Independent member.
As UKIP fell apart, he retained his belief in its bestknown member, Robert Kilroy-Silk, and behind the scenes became involved in the formation of the new party, Veritas (writes our political editor).
He has now given up his Independent label to become the city’s first councillor-member of Veritas, launched by Robert Kilroy-Silk on Wednesday in London, and last night in Derby.
Mr Leeming, a self-confessed political innocent, now also has the distinction of becoming the new party’s first councillor in the country. He is making that official by informing the city council today.
Veritas already has candidates to fight both city seats, Derby North and Derby South, South Derbyshire, Amber Valley, the new constituency of Mid-Derbyshire, and Erewash:
The Erewash candidate will be the party leader, Robert Kilroy-Silk, MEP, opposing Liz Blackman, Labour, who has held the seat since 1997, and at the last election had a majority of 6,932.