'Party politics' forced Dumfries and Galloway councillor to quit SNP just months before election

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A councillor who quit the SNP just three months before the elections has this week revealed he was fed up of “party politics”.Dougie Campbell announced in March that he was leaving the nationalists and took the risky step of trying to get re-elected to Dumfries and Galloway Council as an independent candidate.Standing once again to represent Dee and Glenkens, Dougie’s campaigning paid off as he gained 653 votes to earn the third councillor seat in the three member ward.Dougie said: “There’s no doubt that it’s much more difficult to be elected as an independent candidate, without the support of party finances and activists.“I was apprehensive about whether people would place their trust in me as an individual rather representing a party.“However, I learned quickly when speaking to folk that there was support for me based on my track record, my promise to focus entirely on the issues affecting them, and not be constrained or directed by party politics.”Asked why he decided to leave the SNP after being part of the previous Labour-SNP administration, Dougie replied: “Over the previous five years I’ve learned that party politics in local government can sometimes do more harm than good.

What people want is for their councillors to work together and be champions for the communities they represent.“Trust in politicians is pretty low at the moment and the last thing people want is their councillors trying to score political points against each other.“During the last five years I worked well with fellow ward councillors, despite coming from different political starting points.

I feel that Galloway doesn’t get it’s fair share of resources so it’ll be important for me to be a strong and influential voice for my ward.“My views on the