TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Thurrock councillor whose death was announced this week.

Graham Hamilton won the Belhus seat for UKIP in the 2015 elections, rolling over Labour stalwart and former mayor Charlie Curtis with a 383 majority. He served on the council for four years, including sitting on the planning committee.

He was one of the 17 UKIP councillors who quit the party in 2018 and formed the Independent Group on the council. The following year he chose to stand down from the Belhus seat because he felt his colleague Chris Baker had a better chance of winning – which he did by a majority of ten votes.

Mr Hamilton instead stood in South Chafford but was well beaten as the independent Group revolution generally floundered.

However, he remained highly regarded by two of his party leaders in both UKIP and the Independent Group, Cllrs Luke Spillman and Graham Snell, who both now stand as Conservative councillors

Cllr Spillman told Thurrock Nub News: "I'd like to share a few warm words about a true Thurrock Brexit champion who has sadly passed away.

"Graham, was an unassuming chap, he never sought the limelight, it was never about him. His path into local politics was about service to his community and a great cause that he held close to his heart, the UK leaving the European Union.

"Graham was a kind man, a committed campaigner, and an ever present at his constituent surgery. I never once saw him angry, or act with any malice, arrogance or selfishness.

"He was a decent, ordinary citizen, who together with thousands of activists like him across the country, helped achieve an impossible dream in the 2016 referendum. Graham was proof that if you believe in something and fight for it then anything is possible. He will be greatly missed, but his efforts will be long remembered.

"He was an absolute stalwart on a campaign trail and he gave up his Belhus seat so that Chris could stand because he thought Chris had a better chance. I never asked him to. He came to me. Chris won. And he campaigned to make it happen. That's the class of the man."

Cllr Snell said: "Graham was an amiable chap and was a popular member of the UKIP group. He took to being a councillor very well and always took his responsibilities seriously. I liked him very much and am greatly saddened by his passing."