New leader for Wyre Alliance party

Wyre Alliance has selected ex-Army man Adam Diver, 45, of Fleetwood, to head the party after a vote at the start of the month.

Mr Diver (inset) is not a sitting councillor but says he will have a distinct role from the group’s council members, who represent some seats across Fleetwood on Wyre Council, although he may stand for election in the future.

In appointing Mr Diver, the party is attempting to widen its reach to cover other areas of Wyre.

The Alliance was founded in April last year by a group of Wyre councillors who had previously been Brexit party representatives.

They opted for a change of name and a more local perspective after seeing Brexit – UK’s exit from the EU – brought about by Boris Johnson’s Conservatives at the end of 2019.

Mr Diver, who works as a maritime tutor at Fleetwood Nautical Campus, says he does not see Brexit as a factor in the party’s current ethos.

The married dad-of-two said: “The Wyre Alliance offers residents an alternative from the traditional parties, something for people who aren’t drawn to the main two.

“We are interested in local issues which affect people’s everyday lives and in trying to give them a voice.

“Since I came back to Fleetwood, after travelling in the Army, I have seen a decline in the town centre and the closure of the swimming pool, issues we’d like to try and do something about, but we are looking to other areas of Wyre as well.”

Mr Diver rose to the rank of Captain after a 27-year career in the Army, latterly with the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, including service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The party’s leader on Wyre Council is Coun David O’Neill, with Coun Colette Fairbanks the deputy leader, with the pair previously leading the party itself.

Coun Fairbanks, who represents Fleetwood’s Pharos ward, said: “Adam’s credentials speak for themselves and we’re delighted to have been able to appoint him party leader."