West Lothian Labour councillor defects to Tories after marrying Tory group leader

A West Lothian Labour councillor who married the council’s Tory group leader last year has now switched parties.
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Angela Doran-Timson said she had decided to join the Conservatives because Labour had failed to stand up to the SNP.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross welcomed her defection as evidence his party was “the real alternative” to the Nationalists.

Labour councillor Angela Doran married Tory group leader Damian Timson on December 5 in Strathbrock Parish Church,  Uphall.   Photo: West Lothian Courier.Labour councillor Angela Doran married Tory group leader Damian Timson on December 5 in Strathbrock Parish Church,  Uphall.   Photo: West Lothian Courier.
Labour councillor Angela Doran married Tory group leader Damian Timson on December 5 in Strathbrock Parish Church,  Uphall. Photo: West Lothian Courier.
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Angela Doran married Damian Timson, leader of the West Lothian Tory group, in December 2020 and they took each other’s names.

Both elected in 2017, they met at a charity football match. They tied the knot at Strathbrock Parish Church, Uphall, in front of a small group of friends and family but had to postpone their planned honeymoon in New York because of Covid.

West Lothian is run by a minority Labour administration with Tory support.

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Ms Doran-Timson, who is councillor for Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh, handed her resignation to the Labour group on Monday morning.

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Her defection means there are now ten Labour councillors, eight Tories, one independent and 14 SNP.

She said: “Over and over again, Labour have been weak on the union and not strong enough in standing up to the SNP.

“At council meetings, they have not been prepared to oppose the SNP. Some in the Labour group would even be happy to see indyref2.

“I am joining the Scottish Conservatives because they are the only party strong enough to stop the SNP and the only party that stands up for Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom every time.

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“As a work coach, I firmly believe we must be absolutely focused on creating more jobs and helping people back into work above all else. Our top priority has to be Scotland’s recovery, not another referendum.”

Douglas Ross said: “I’m delighted to welcome Angela to the Scottish Conservatives and I know she will continue to be a great representative for local people in West Lothian.

“This gain proves once more that we are the real alternative for working people across Scotland who want to remove the SNP from power.

“More and more ex-Labour voters, just like Angela, have decided to vote Scottish Conservative in recent elections.

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“While Labour fell backwards to their worst ever Holyrood result, we won more votes than ever before.”

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