Cllr David Beavan, deputy leader of East Suffolk Council, expelled from Liberal Democrats after 55 years for giving support to Adrian Ramsay

A councillor has been expelled from his party after 55 years for giving his backing to another party’s parliamentary candidate.

David Beavan, deputy leader of East Suffolk Council (ESC) and formerly East Suffolk’s Liberal Democrat group, has backed Adrian Ramsay, Green Party leader and candidate for Waveney Valley.

The new constituency, on the Norfolk-Suffolk border, is made up of parts of five former Conservative seats.

It is one of the Green Party’s four target seats in the General Election.

The Liberal Democrats said, in giving his support to Mr Ramsay, Cllr Beavan contravened party rules and was expelled as a result.

Cllr Beavan said he was ‘impressed’ with Mr Ramsay after speaking at a Sizewell demonstration.

“I thought he was mad to take on this Tory heartland but he has worked hard to connect with the people and is now running close to the Conservative,” he said.

“So it was with much surprise and sadness that I learnt second hand from a local member of this bizarre decision by head office, whilst I was busy canvassing for the party in North Norfolk last week – they have shot themselves in the foot.

“If I wanted to be dictated to by party officials, I would have joined the Communist Party – I will at least now still be free to say and think what I believe is right for Southwold and East Suffolk.”

Cllr Beavan said Waveney Valley is not a target seat for the Liberal Democrats or Labour.

He has been spending his weekends canvassing for Liberal Democrat Steff Aquarone in North Norfolk, who is aiming to win back Norman Lamb’s former seat.

Mr Lamb, who served in government during the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, has also backed Mr Ramsay for Waveney Valley.

Cllr Beavan said: “I know there are those in the Lib Dem hierarchy who are terrified of losing votes to the Greens.

“Maybe they hope that my expulsion will sink our harmonious coalition with its single vote majority on the council, however I will continue to play my part in the administration as an Independent.

“I will also continue to support Lib Dem candidates as well as Adrian.”

Cllr Beavan first stood for the Liberals in 1974, aged 22, securing the party’s then highest ever vote share in Waveney of 22 per cent.

He was elected to Waveney Council in 2018 with 80 per cent of the vote as the only Lib Dem.

Mr Ramsay said: “I'm very grateful to David for his support and very sad to hear he has been expelled from his party.

“Whether he has a party label or not, I know he has been a great local councillor for his residents in Southwold and I'm sure he will continue to be so."

Cllr Beavan worked closely with the Greens through the formation of ESC and on an agreement not to stand against each other, meaning they took control of it from the Conservatives last year.

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “Our party rules, agreed by every member when they join the party, are clear: showing support for another political party, against a Liberal Democrat candidate, is incompatible with membership of the Liberal Democrats.

“Cllr Beavan chose to promote his support for another party's candidate through paid advertisements on social media and as a result an independent panel has revoked his membership of the Liberal Democrats."