Two new MPs to step back from Cornwall Council

Jayne Kirkham is resigning from Cornwall Council

Two Cornwall MPs are stepping back from their roles on Cornwall Council.

Andrew George, the Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives and Jayne Kirkham, the Labour MP for Truro and Falmouth, announced they would be standing down and resigning as councillors.

They were two of six new Cornwall MPs to join government in the July election.

Ms Kirkham, who was first elected to the Cornwall Council in February 2018, said she would be resigning as councillor for the Falmouth Penwerris division on Saturday.

"I’ve been so privileged and honoured to have represented the people of Penwerris, and before that Smithick," she said.

"This new job is one that will take all of me and I cannot do it justice unless I give all of me to it."

Mr George said he would be standing down as a councillor in eight months’ time when the council elections took place.

He said he respected Ms Kirkham's decision to resign, but "concluded it best not to cause disruption and expense to the council with a further by-election and would therefore carry on for the remaining months".

Andrew George, the Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, is stepping back from his council role in eight months' time

Mr George first became MP for St Ives in 1997 and served until he lost to Conservative Derek Thomas in 2015.

He reclaimed his seat in July with a majority of more than 13,000.

He said he had "found that being MP enhances rather than detracts what I’m able to do as councillor".

Mr George said he would juggle his parliamentary role with his position as Lib Dem councillor for Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval and Heamoor but that he would donate his councillor allowance to "support local charitable and community activities".