Deputy leader of council leaves Labour group

Amjad Iqbal retained his seat in the local elections held in May

The deputy leader of the Labour group on Peterborough City Council has left the party.

Cllr Amjad Iqbal represented Central ward and was first elected as a councillor in 2016.

He will remain a city councillor and will sit as an independent.

Labour remains the largest party on the council with 18 councillors.

In a statement after his resignation Mr Iqbal said his "views on certain policy matters differ from those of my group, and in view of that, with regret, I have decided to resign from the Labour Group."

He added: "I have enjoyed working with my Labour colleagues, and I want to thank them for their support over the years.

"I will now represent Central Ward as an independent councillor and will always do my utmost to look after the best interest of my residents."

Mr Iqbal was most recently re-elected in May this year where he secured 1377 votes, with the Green Party candidate coming in second with 820 votes.

His resignation will mean a reshuffle for the Labour group, who run the authority as a minority administration.

A city council spokesperson said the council leader Dennis Jones "will make an announcement in due course as to any changes he may be considering to his cabinet portfolios".