THE independent councillor who defected to the Conservatives within days of May’s elections would have been defeated at the polls if he had stood as a Tory, a survey has suggested.

Throop and Muscliff councillor Derek Borthwick sparked outrage when it was revealed he approached Bournemouth council’s Conservative group about joining them less than 48 hours after being elected.

Resident David Ross is running an unofficial poll among Cllr Borthwick’s former voters to see how the election might have turned out if the councillor had declared himself a Tory in advance of polling day.

Around 300 people who voted for Cllr Borthwick on May 5 have so far replied and 90 per cent would have voted instead for another independent candidate, Fiona Dougherty-Price, who polled 584 votes to his 1,037.

Mr Ross said: “Hard-working volunteers foot-slogged the plebiscite door-to-door and the strength of feeling is astounding. Many have written comments on the back of the form to say that Mr Borthwick stole or cheated them out of their vote, that he has no honour and should resign. I think the responses are showing that he has no democratic mandate.

“Unfortunately we do not have a ‘recall’ system, so residents’ only hope is to shame Mr Borthwick out of office.”

The survey has gone out in a newsletter issued by the ward’s other two independent councillors. Organisers have urged only those who voted for Cllr Borthwick to reply.

The May election for three ward councillors saw long-serving Independent councillor Ron Whittaker poll 1,734 votes, with the council’s Independent group leader Cllr Anne Rey polling 1,490. The highest-polling Conservative candidate was Ian Clark, who came fourth with 674 votes.

Cllr Borthwick said he had no comment to make.