Conservatives walked away from Rugby’s town centre regeneration group 'for the best part of a year' over 'liar' claims

The political stalemate saw the Labour group in charge of Rugby Borough Council question why the Tory opposition refused to participate in cross-party working groups on two of the biggest areas of the council’s work – the refreshed local plan and the revamp of the town centre.

Conservative leader Councillor Derek Poole (Wolston & the Lawfords) had previously only said that political rivals knew why but the reasons and the apology he was after from leader Councillor Michael Moran (Lab, Admirals & Cawston) were finally flushed out this week.

It centred around Cllr Moran’s use of the word lie or liar in relation to things the Tories had said or put on social media. He was called out by Cllr Poole for not offering an apology that he had privately promised which was then forthcoming, albeit while standing by claims that the Tory information was untrue.

Liberal lifts the lid

Light was shed on the situation when deputy leader of Rugby’s Liberal Democrat group – which has a confidence and supply arrangement to support Labour – Councillor Isabelle McKenzie (Rokeby & Overslade) raised the absence of the Conservatives from discussions about the local plan at Tuesday’s meeting of the Labour cabinet, a forum where opposition groups are invited to pass comment if they wish to.

“When they had their consultation session with officers, it was confidential to them. We didn’t get any feedback as to what they liked,” she said.

“We have no idea of their views on it beyond social media posts. We haven’t had any consultation with them throughout the past year, they haven’t shown us what they feel about it.”

Cllr Poole immediately directed his comments towards Cllr McKenzie.

“The leader and the chairman of the council know exactly why we didn’t attend the planning services working party,” he replied.

“He (Cllr Moran) phoned me before Christmas to say he was going to apologise and I said that when he made that full public apology, we will attend. He still hasn’t apologised.

“When he apologies for calling me a liar, twice, then we will attend. This isn’t the place to talk about this, you brought it up and I am answering why we don’t go.”

Cllr Moran then took the baton.

“I did say I would apologise for using the word liar to you and (another) councillor,” he said.

“I am not a professional politician and I am sometimes not very capable with my words.”

It relates to his comments in a full council meeting in March 2025 when Councillor Becky Maoudis (Con, Wolvey & Shilton), who had served on the planning working group, claimed “the evidence and methodology used to justify” housing allocations in rural areas had “not been shared”.

That claim was rebuffed by council officers – its employed professionals – at the time with Cllr Moran insisting in that meeting: “That is a lie.”

This week, Cllr Moran stuck by his position that the Conservative comment was “manifestly untrue” and “dangerous”.

“I apologise for using the word lie but we are in a world where we deal with very important matters,” he added.

“If you are seriously saying that you and your group did not participate in any evening working group meetings for the best part of a year because on one occasion you were called a liar – and frankly you did not challenge that (at the time) – then I am aghast.

“It is your responsibility to your residents to be participating in that planning services working group.”

The other occasion

The next discussion on a supplementary planning document for the revitalisation of Rugby town centre saw part two of Cllr Moran’s apology come forward.

“I do believe I used the word liar twice,” he said.

“One related to the local plan, the first time was not in a full council meeting but in response to a Conservative social media post prior to the election in 2024 where the Conservative party said they were in discussions with multiple developers for the town centre.

“If a lie is the incorrect word, I’d say a gross misrepresentation of the truth. People in this chamber who have done some of the background work on Rugby Central in the past year would attest to the work and engagement that is involved in any sort of serious discussions with any development partner – and we are not even there yet.

“To have read that the previous administration was in discussions with multiple developers was quite something for me but we are moving past that.

“It is a new year and I look forward to hopefully welcoming your councillors to these working groups.”

Cllr Poole spoke to accept the apology and thanked Cllr Moran for it. He did not pass further comment.