"Warwickshire deserves better" says MP for Warwick and Leamington in response to the news that Warwickshire County Council's leader has survived a challenge to oust him.

Cllr George Finch survived by one vote despite a Conservative breaking ranks to vote against him. 

It comes after the leader received crucial backing from six out of the seven Tories present and two Reform-supporting independents while Restore Britain's two ex-Reform councillors opted against voting either way, resulting in a 27-26 victory for the leader.

In a statement, MP Matt Western responded to the news: "I have expressed repeatedly my profound concerns about the judgement of the leader of Warwickshire County Council, Councillor George Finch.    

"Along with many others, I have been outright embarrassed for Warwickshire by the way Councillor Finch has sought to represent our county at a local and national level.    

"Warwickshire has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, and our county is becoming a laughing stock due to Councillor Finch's conduct as leader.  

"We are a county of good people and communities that care about one another. However, when you look at the news being driven by Councillor Finch, you would suspect that Warwickshire residents care about nothing more than which flags fly outside Shire Hall.   

"Warwickshire deserves leadership which will put our county first, not prioritise whatever Farage insists they peddle that day. Warwickshire should come first, not the latest diktat from Reform HQ.   

advertisement

"If I had been a county councillor, I would've campaigned among the Tories to ensure today's motion passed. It is beyond disappointing it failed. 

"I hope the Conservatives, who backed up Councillor Finch, will reflect on whether they can genuinely continue to complain about the actions of Reform UK in Warwickshire when they keep propping them up at every opportunity. They had the chance to change something with this vote and once again, fell in line behind Reform.   

"The two Conservatives who did not attend today could have made a difference and ensured this motion passed. Now, the Tories need to be clear on where they stand – are they whipping their Councillors to back up Reform so proving that 'Con-form' is the less-than-new reality?  

"Make no mistake, the Tories have handed Reform UK another 'get out of jail' card as the two tones of blue continue to merge into one.  

"Warwickshire deserves better and I will keep holding Councillor Finch and his colleagues to account. 

"Councillor Finch only narrowly survived this vote of no confidence, by one vote. That is not a sign of real confidence in a leader. He is skating on thin ice."