'No evidence' councillor was Royal Marine despite claim

Former mayor could face sanctions after allegations of ‘stolen valour’

- JANE HAYNES News Reporter

WHEN does someone have the right to call themselves a Royal Marine?

That's the question at the heart of an investigation into Wolverhampton councillor Greg Brackenridge, who is facing sanctions over a claim he misled and ‘betrayed trust’ over his military service record.

We can now reveal that an independent investigation has been carried out for Wolverhampton Council into a complaint that Brackenridge, husband of Wolverhampton North East MP Sureena, had acted against the council’s code of conduct over the issue of ‘stolen valour’ ~ a term describing people who exaggerate or lie about serving in the Armed Forces.

The report's findings have now been shared with the council.

The Post understands it concludes that there has been no evidence that Brackenridge ever ‘passed out’ and achieved the famous ‘green beret’ to become a Royal Marine.

The councillor refused to cooperate with the independent probe.

The council's standards committee could find it amounts to bringing the office of councillor and the council itself into disrepute.

The findings are now set to be shared with members of the council’s governance and ethics committee, who will decide whether to proceed to a full standards hearing.