B.C. MLA Brent Chapman will no longer be running in the upcoming provincial election in Surrey South, alleging that he has received threats from Conservative Party insiders.
Chapman is the husband of former Conservative Party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who resigned last month. A couple of days after her resignation, Chapman crossed the floor to join OneBC.
He was a member of Findlay’s shadow cabinet as a critic for transit and ICBC before she dropped out. Soon after, Chapman decided to join OneBC, led by controversial leader Dallas Brodie.
“After long deliberation between both parties, we have mutually decided that Brent Chapman will not run in Surrey South during this election,” OneBC said in a post on X.
The statement said that the party was “very excited” to have Chapman on the team; however, it also suggested that the last few months have been an enormous strain.
“Brent and his wife, Kerry-Lynne Findlay, ran a massively successful leadership campaign for the BC Conservatives based on strong conservative values,” the statement added.
“Unfortunately, strong conservative values are not acceptable to the self-appointed leaders of the CPBC, and Brent and KLF were subject to a torrent of threats and abuse from insiders.”
The statement doesn’t mention who these insiders were.
Chapman hasn’t issued a public statement about his political standing since his Sept. 22 statement about the Conservative Caucus. Even in that statement, he alleged that his wife had “endured attacks from people she once stood beside.”
“Politics is important, but so is family and security. That is why we are grateful for his principled stance, but also in full support of his decision to step back at this time and wish him all the best,” OneBC added.
In response to the OneBC announcement, some devout OneBC followers expressed disappointment. Others suggested that the insiders should be named.