Kirsty Knight: Councillor who resigned from party says she's 'still Green at heart'

A councillor who resigned from her party says she’s “still Green at heart”.

Cllr Kirsty Knight, who represents Orton Waterville, left the Green Party last week and became an independent.

“It’s not the national party, it’s the Peterborough Greens,” she said of her decision.

“They’ve just got bigger goals and aren’t so much about the residents’ voices, which is why I wanted to become a councillor.”

A Greens spokesperson said the party “regrets that Cllr Knight has made the decision to leave the Green Party at this time”.

“We want to thank her for her work as a Green councillor and wish her well in her future endeavours,” the spokesperson continued.

“Cllr Nicola Day will continue to work hard on behalf of the local residents of Orton Waterville and we are looking forward to selecting a candidate to stand in Orton Waterville for the Green Party, who, along with other Green councillors will continue to work hard for the local community.”

Cllr Day, who also represents Orton Waterville, is the leader of the Green group on Peterborough City Council (PCC), which now consists of her and Cllr Heather Skibsted, who represents Orton Longueville.

'Trying to run before you can walk'

Asked for an example of a “bigger goal” the Greens were pursuing, Cllr Knight said Cllr Day’s election campaign for Peterborough MP was trying to “run before you can walk”.

“I’m still Green at heart, but all the work that was needed wasn’t getting done on a local level,” she added.

But the issue goes beyond the Greens currently represented on PCC, with potential candidates leaving the party and others to become independent.

“We have formed a little independent group where we will just be helping each other,” Cllr Knight said. “It’s not a political party or an independent party or anything like that, but it’s going to be lonely being an independent.”

More candidates to stand as independents

Collette Francis, who now intends to stand in West ward as an independent, said she left the Greens because “unfortunately their beliefs no longer align with my own”.

Nick Penniall, who had in fact intended to run as a Liberal Democrat for Orton Longueville, said he decided to follow his “heart/gut” and become an independent alongside Cllr Knight “in the best interests of the residents”.

“I want a local councillor to be a local resident, and for them to put people first, not party,” he said. “The only way to remain true to my morals was to resign as a party member and stand for my neighbours as myself.”

Known for his work with Peterborough Hedgehog Hospital, Mr Penniall is also chair of Orton Longueville parish council.

Cllr Christian Hogg, PCC's Lib Dem leader who represents Fletton and Stanground, said he wishes him luck.

“While it’s never good to lose a member, it’s not like he was an integral part of our team in the same way you could argue Kirsty was as a councillor for the Greens,” he added.

Cllr Knight’s seat is up for re-election on 2nd May.

“I respect my residents so much that I [resigned] this side of the election when they can choose whether they want me to stay and represent them or not,” she said.

“The residents should have a choice.”

Cllr Day was approached for comment.