A FORMER senior Conservative councillor has quit the party to join York Liberal Democrats.

Paul Healey served as a City of York Council councillor for eight years and was deputy leader of the group.

But in a letter to The Press, Mr Healey announced he is leaving the party to join the Lib Dems - citing the Conservatives "shift to the far-right" as his reason for quitting.

He said he is "appalled" by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to suspend Parliament, adding: “Since the 2016 EU Referendum, the Conservatives have lurched to the far-right of British politics, squeezing out the space for moderate, liberal and pro-European Conservatives.

“Like many other people across the UK I have been appalled at Boris Johnson’s attempts this week to subvert parliamentary democracy and push through his hard Brexit agenda.”

Mr Healey said he voted to remain in the EU in 2016 "like many other Conservative voters" and has been left with a "sense of regret" for the past.

He has been an activist for the Conservatives for the past 28 years and served as a councillor for rural west York.

The city's Lib Dem group leader Keith Aspden welcomed Mr Healey - saying he is "delighted" he is joining the team and praising his "wealth of local experience".

York Conservative organisation has been approached for a comment.