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UKIP loses control over Thanet Council after Manston Airport debacle

The UK Independence Party has long control of its only council in the UK after the fifth councillor defected over the ongoing Manston Airport disagreement.

The party, which won 33 seats on Thanet District Council in May, has lost dominance after councillor Jeff Elenor announced he was defecting to join the Democratic Independent Group.

Elenor is the fifth councillor to defect following an ongoing debate regarding the redevelopment of Manston Airport.

Earlier this week, the council leader was accused of holding up the purchase process by US company hoping to redevelop the now defunct airport.

The airport has been closed since May last year and the current landowners want to develop it into a mixed-use development for businesses and homes, creating thousands of jobs in the process.

In August, RiverOak invested £2m to help the council cover legal costs should it decide to pursue the purchase, according to the BBC.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .