First elected as a member of the Non-Partisan Association, she left the party in 2019 claiming its ideology was driving towards the "far-right" following the election of its new executive.[2] Her concerns were echoed by 2018 NPA mayoral candidate Ken Sim,[3] while Bligh's fellow NPA councillors Melissa De Genova, Lisa Dominato, Colleen Hardwick and Sarah Kirby-Yung did not leave the party, but took steps to distance themselves from its board.[4] By 2022, all except De Genova had quit the NPA, with Bligh, Dominato and Kirby-Yung reaffiliating with ABC Vancouver, and Hardwick joining TEAM for a Livable Vancouver.[5]
^"Vancouver's new mayor and council to be sworn in Monday afternoon". Vancouver Sun, November 5, 2018.
^Dan Fumano, "Councillor quits NPA over shift to 'far right'". The Province, December 9, 2019.
^Frances Bula, "Former Vancouver mayoral candidate Ken Sim alarmed at NPA swing to the right: Sim is one of many people from the NPA, the city's oldest and once-dominant civic party, who say it seems to have gone off track". The Globe and Mail, December 10, 2019.
^Dan Fumano, "NPA leadership opts not to publicly face serious questions". The Globe and Mail, January 27, 2021.
^Frances Bula, "Three Vancouver city councillors join new ABC party, back Ken Sim for mayor". The Globe and Mail, April 12, 2022.
