B.C. Conservative dissidents say Leader John Cummins was supposed to quit

VICTORIA – Dissidents within British Columbia’s Conservative party say they were hoodwinked by their leader John Cummins when he didn’t resign.

Surrey-White Rock constituency association president Allison Patton says those opposed to Cummins leadership were told yesterday that a deal had been reached where Cummins would quit, but keep his $4,000 per month salary for six months.

Instead, Cummins did a round a media interviews saying he wouldn’t quit and that “things were going remarkable well” within the party.

Cummins brushed off those opposed to his leadership as a noisy, but small group of party members.

Patton and several other party dissidents held a news conference in Vancouver later in the day Wednesday where they gave Cummins until Friday to resign.

Patton says the B.C. Conservative Party — which was challenging the governing B.C. Liberals in public polling numbers six months ago — is now in destruction mode under Cummins’ continued leadership.