Does he get your vote? (From News Shopper)

Does he get your vote?

11:46am Wednesday 6th July 2005 in Bromley By Bede MacGowan

A SENIOR councillor has dismissed as irrelevant embarrassing pictures which surfaced of him behaving like a "drunken yob".

Social services portfolio holder Councillor Chris Phillips was snapped in various outlandish poses by photographers after being thrown out of a Young Tories' conference party.

The photos emerged as residents reacted angrily to a decision by Bromley and Chislehurst Conservatives to make him the party's candidate for Bromley Town ward in next year's local elections.

Cllr Phillips, who currently represents Kelsey and Eden Park, was deselected by Beckenham Conservatives in February, with members reportedly angry about the closure of the Rachel Notley Age Concern Centre.

Accountant Steve Stafford, 32, of Mason's Hill, said: "That kind of behaviour is actually the problem with Bromley right now. I can't see how this guy is the right man to deal with it.

"You've also got to question the judgement of those who have selected him. We don't want him representing us."

Another Masons Hill resident, who asked to remain anonymous, sent News Shopper the pictures which were taken in 1998 in Bournemouth, before Cllr Phillips became a councillor.

Describing himself as a very angry Conservative voter, he said: "How dare Bromley and Chislehurst think they can select this drunken yob in Bromley Town?

"At the moment we have three hard working Conservative councillors and we don't want them replaced with this yob.

"I think it's disgusting he should hold such a position (as social care portfolio holder)."

In the Daily Mirror article, Cllr Phillips, aged 35 at the time, is quoted as saying: "They've thrown me out for manhandling women.

"I was only having a bit of fun."

He was also snapped attempting a "gorilla impression" before describing party colleagues as "w****ers" only hours before Tory leader William Hague's keynote speech.

This week Cllr Phillips said: "A silly event which happened at a party conference eight years ago is of absolutely no relevance to Bromley today.

"What is important is Bromley elects strong Conservative councillors who will put the interests of Bromley and its residents first."

The other two Tory candidates for the ward, which includes the town centre an alcohol exclusion zone since July last year are David Hastings and Stephen Maly.

They replace councillors Denise Reddin, Martyn Reddin and Paul Clark.

Bromley and Chislehurst Conservatives declined to comment.